HSR has the flashy high-tech-of-the-future cachet -- but what we really need, to take cars off the roads (and that is what it's all about), is a denser network of conventional rail. HSR replaces airlines. Conventional rail replaces cars and trucks.
We don't need high-speed rail, we need conventional rail
- Thread starter Politruk
- Start date
The real enemy here is the automobile and everything built around it. See Asphalt Nation, by Jane Holtz Kay.
BrightShinyGirl
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The sweet spot for HSR is 100-600 miles. For trips like that, it's faster and cheaper than flying. We don't need a national HSR network, just a collection of regional network to link major urban centers.
Buffalogurl
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Funny thing is we would have had a great start on refurbishing our existing rail system and extending the service, but the former Democrat crime family pissed 350 billion dollars away in Ukraine..... the former Democrat crime family hated/hates America with all of it's black heart..... f@#k Joe Biden and crew......burn in hell......
BrightShinyGirl
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Will President Trump commit to refurbishing our existing rail network right now?
BabyBoomer50s
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He’s probably going to stop throwing good money after bad on California’s HSR boondoggle.
Buffalogurl
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I have no idea what he will/would do about the rail system.... one thing is for certain we as a nation cannot afford the cost.
That being said..... bsg, new rails, new infrastructure ect.... will require large amounts of earth scaring construction, millions of tons of steel from electric arc furnaces ect.... the one very important aspect is the destruction of the human element through displacing families, destruction of homes, farm ground, rape of our wild spaces ect.... and the additional burden on existing fresh water supplies...... good families will lose their home to the bulldozer......
You are an idiot.
All trivial compared to the environmental and social impact of the automobile and all its works.
ChloeTzang
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Bullshit they pissed $350 billion away. They used Ukraine as an excuse to send like drunks on all the little tpys they could scam a cut from, while dumping all the end of lie stuff on Ukraine and valuing it at inflated replacement costs.
What Ukraine got was old military equiment and ammo reaching it's end of life date that they would have had to pay to dispose of. They transferred that old shit to Ukraine, and the billions went to the US defense industry. Ukraine likely got about $10 billion in actual value and that was old Bradleys and Strykers and ammo and stuff. Those aren't going to pay for shit.
The actual money went to US defense companies and US NGO's tied to the Democrats - Ukraine saw shit. Stop believing all the Russian bullshit and do a bit of your own actual research. It was a budgeting scam, where we get all the shiny new stuff and the budget says it's the value of aid for Ukraine. It wasn't.
MajorRewrite
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Railroad tracks in the US should be nationalized to promote competition and better maintain the tracks. All other transportation infrastructure is government run (roads, highways, ports, airports).
The trains running on the tracks would still be private. Public tracks would enable train companies to compete directly with each other, just like trucking companies, airlines and shipping companies.
The track system would be maintained by user fees, which is proven successful with airports and seaports.
The trains running on the tracks would still be private. Public tracks would enable train companies to compete directly with each other, just like trucking companies, airlines and shipping companies.
The track system would be maintained by user fees, which is proven successful with airports and seaports.
HumpDayHoratio
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Dear Lord people. It’s simple economics. When you can load up a 737 for $59 a seat, and go halfway across the country in less than 3hrs, the ChooChoo ain’t coming back.
Rail had its day here in the US. That day is loooooong gone.
I’ll also add, there is almost zero political interest in reviving old Choo-choo rail systems much less HSR. Just look at how many Rails-to-Trails parks we have now. Not gonna happen.
Rail had its day here in the US. That day is loooooong gone.
I’ll also add, there is almost zero political interest in reviving old Choo-choo rail systems much less HSR. Just look at how many Rails-to-Trails parks we have now. Not gonna happen.
MajorRewrite
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Contrary to what a random uninformed MAGA says, rail freight is a big business. Total revenue of US railroads in 2024 was $101.9 billion.
Yesterday's solution to last century's problems.
We now have WFH, Zoom/Teams meetings, reliable cars/bikes, air travel. Rail was OK for long distance travel but still requires local transport from station to final destination. Air travel has the same problem - getting from home to airport and airport to destination, but worse as airports tend not to be close to homes/town centers.
Once politicians and business leaders catch on to the savings from selling offices and investing in agile working, the railways will be as relevant as canals and stage coaches.
We now have WFH, Zoom/Teams meetings, reliable cars/bikes, air travel. Rail was OK for long distance travel but still requires local transport from station to final destination. Air travel has the same problem - getting from home to airport and airport to destination, but worse as airports tend not to be close to homes/town centers.
Once politicians and business leaders catch on to the savings from selling offices and investing in agile working, the railways will be as relevant as canals and stage coaches.
And imagine the benefit to safety in the skies and efficiency at airports if some of the air traffic could be absorbed by a high speed rail option (not to mention, reduced car traffic and the benefits that would impart on society.)
High-speed rail in select areas of the country would be a huge benefit on maaaaany levels.
The objectionable element in that is cars. We need something to replace those.
HumpDayHoratio
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For fucks sake simpleton. We’re talking about passenger trains, not freight trains. Do try and keep up.
lol,and the dollar value keeps getting larger....when the reality is:
Congress appropriated $174.2 billion through the five Ukraine supplemental appropriation acts enacted FY 2022 through FY 2024, of which $163.6 billion was allocated for OAR and the Ukraine response, and $10.6 billion was allocated for other, primarily humanitarian, purposes.
HumpDayHoratio
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The decline of Pax Rail service in the US over time visualized.
Notice the dates. Two things happened. I wonder if some of our dolts can connect some dots?
Notice the dates. Two things happened. I wonder if some of our dolts can connect some dots?
Buffalogurl
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You're neglecting "replacement cost"......we "us" have to pay current pricing and cost over runs over the next few years for restocking our military stockpiles..... for example, not counting how many man hours it will take to build the 51 thousand man pad launching systems just to name one off the top of my head.... yupper 350 billion...... f@#k Joe Biden, burn in hell o'l booger sugar......
Both. Cars and trucks alike need to be taken off the roads and replaced by some other mode of transportation.
butters
High on a Hill
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America needs both
regular trains so people can get to their jobs efficiently and reducing cars on the road, while hsr will reduce demand for air internal air travel by getting people to distant locations in a feasible amount of time.
"Replacement costs" were going to happen regardless…
Ordinance has a use by date, and weapons systems become obsolete.(weapons systems are becoming obsolete faster than ever)
Also:
The U.S. is NOT replacing the old / expiring ammo and weapons systems we supplied to Ukraine one for one. The U.S. is UPGRADING its arsenal and stockpiles while getting a hell of a lot of “bang for the buck” from what the aging / expiring ammo and weapons systems are contributing to the frustrating of Putin’s / Russia’s territorial ambitions in Ukraine, etc.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN!!!
Slava Ukraini
Side note:
The U.S. military is going to have to modernize in maaaaany ways after the Ukraine conflict, but the old ordinance and systems still served / are serving their purpose in the interim.
Hope all of that ^ helps.
Sure, keep trying to justify the cost. No one is replacing a 1980's tank. Those were "written off" and put into storage. Saved for exactly this purpose.
Yah don't say.....
So you don't support Democracy, got it. Voting for Trump proves this.
