Why does the Amtrak train still look like a 1950's body style design ?

[beagle9]

Well Disneyland/world isn't a very good example comparison; you're not talking about the safety issues of bullet trains and heavy traffic there.

As I understand your position, it is that bullet trains will be placed in the center median of highways, yes? What would happen to the bullet train when it hits a city? (You cannot be suggesting putting a bullet train through the centers of urban population? right?) If said train goes /around/ cities, then it could not really be used for transportation of say city workers - more along the lines of cross state travel yes? Who travel's from state to state? Tourists and freight? You'd have a system infrastructure similar to airports, shuttles and trucks to deliver the "product" to hotels or stores/wearhouse's within the urban centers. Then the question becomes, is this bullet train going to be faster or cheaper than airlines, or truckers/taxi drivers?

. Not nessesarily bullet trains, but more along the lines of shuttle trains. Could have the sleek look of a bullet train except the speed would be more along the lines of say 75 to 80 miles per hour or so.. All depending a 100 mile per hour could be the case maybe as well.

 

[candycorn]

The USS Missouri never turned a profit

 

[Jarlaxle]

...and should not have been built. Are you drunk?

 

[Tom Horn]

The Right won't allow modern high speed rail.

There's nothing "modern" about trains when we already have interstate highways and airplanes. Governor Brown will drain California's treasury for a train that is not needed when California really needs is water.

Progs love euro socialism and therefore love trains. Trains are still essential heavy freight haulers and commuter service in the crowded NYC/D.C. corridor. California is sitting next to the PACIFIC OCEAN and yet desalinization plants of any size were never built. Why? Because the Kalis were content to steal Colorado River water from us in Arizona. Those days are gone. California is basically desert and needs to downsize...not that anybody wants those assholes moving into their state.

 

[beagle9]

It's in the stats of accidents and fatalities that occur on highways without the separation medians, it is why the DOT has the regulation of space between opposing lanes.

Even if we discount safety entirely and we're going to argue that we can somehow "acquire" the land necessary to build a bullet train, be that beside, or in the middle of, roadways one has to look at the benefit of it. What is the benefit of a bullet train to "society"? And are those "needs" already addressed by existing infrastructure, are we better off to put any money into upgrading that existing transportation network, or expand out into a historically financially loosing proposition? What are the benefits of a bullet train that cannot be met equally, if not better, by the existing systems?

. The benefits are accommodating the ever growing problem of population explosion.... It's liken to clean energy and dirty energy, they all are needed, but hopefully more of the clean than the dirty in the future will be utilized as time goes by. Nothing wrong with making one or the other the back up, but all are needed.