Look, let me start off again by saying I am not against rail systems. When I lived in NJ, my friends and I would typically take the train into NYC, either from the Manasquan, Holmdel, or Hoboken, and would take the subway around in NYC (though it’s fun to walk around and see the sites, and wacky people). When in D.C., I always take the subway. I wouldn’t mind some system like that in Raleigh if it actually got me near work. I’d rather ride and read my book or play on the Internet than drive more than 25 minutes (after that, I start getting bored). Nothing wrong with rail systems, except that they are being pushed by climate morons, as well as lefties who want to give temporary jobs to union cronies, and the routes often make no sense. And then there is this: Our High Speed Rail Plan Should Look More Like China’s
I don’t want to perpetuate the US vs. China who-will-be-the-economic-superpower narrative that’s already rampant in our press enough these days, so let’s frame this one from another, even simpler angle — China is doing a bunch of really great stuff in clean tech that we should be doing too. The nation’s commitment to clean energy grabs most of the headlines, but China is also pioneering a massive high speed rail system that will help connect what will soon be some of the biggest cities in history. And no, we don’t need to ‘beat’ China by building a similar rail system here in the states — we just need to ensure our transportation system is efficient, sustainable, low carbon, and decoupled from oil dependence. And fast.
See? China simply rocks! They’re dumping hundreds of millions of dollars building railways (money they have thanks to Obama and the Democrats mortgaging our future). And how do we know they rock?
That’s a pretty train surrounded by some urban blight, isn’t it? The smog produced haze in the top is awesome too, eh?
I went to a counter-rally against high speed rail today. Don’t get me wrong, I would be all for high speed rail IF it could be funded by private dollars. But it can’t. High speed rail is a proven money loser and private companies won’t touch it with a ten foot pole.
The “green” benefits are a myth and the jobs created by high speed rail are short term taxpayer funded jobs versus permanent private sector jobs.
If we did it like China, it would’nt cost $53 billion. They don’t pay people for taking thier land, and they would’nt have to follow EPA rules. If it cost $23 Billion or so, like it would there, then it would make more sense.
“Nothing wrong with rail systems…”
Actually, there IS something wrong with trains. They don’t support themselves. Even NJTransit loses money every year, and it’s about the most traveled train system in America. They’re still cost-effective for moving bulk commodities, and they still have value intra-city. But other than that, they are a drain on prosperity.
I too enjoy taking the train into the city once a year or so, but it’s unfair that others have to subsidize my ride, as they do with pretty much all long-haul commuter rides.
We need to move to electric cars. We need to develop wind, solar, turbine, Nuclear, and utilize natural gas.
We need to continue the co2 scrubbing that is becoming the norm in coal fired plants.
In short we need to do it all.
The problem with transportation is that we are somehow convinced that we have to build 50k dollar electric cars to sell….again that is because the Federal government has all these rules that you have to meet in order to put a car on the road….thus making new technology cars almost impossible to manufacture and sell at reasonable prices.
Hence why the VOLT…has sold 300 units and the Nissan Leaf all electric has sold 87 units in America.
We have got to get away from fossil fuels for transportation only because the bulk of oil comes from the middle east where everyone hates us.
But we need to make the debate an honest one…until it becomes an honest debate that deals in reality there will be the shouting by both sides and nothing gets done.
Kill the trains unless they can support themselves through local taxes and ticket prices. STOP making the nation pay for local issues.