The Good Ol' Days
- Thread starter Kris94
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We are in a race??
More like up to standards, which we are not. They're better than us. We need to improve. Hence why everyone is going overseas because it's superior and cheaper.
Yeah, everyone is just rushing overseas to ride trains...not like they need to work or anything...
Has it occurred to you that Europe and Japan have different needs and physical characteristics that the U.S.?
It's about time someone would bring that up in relation to "keeping up" with the Japanese or the French, etc. Excellent point! Congratulations RRsignal, and thanks for making it.
Bernie
Well then why is the president talking about our poor system and comparing ours to theirs. But the issue is we need to get everything upgraded. We want to compete from them. The reason for our issues is our failures to upgrade and compete. A major reason why SP went down. That's my point.
Because the president, like most politicians, think there is an unlimited pile of money to spend on pandering to voters, which is why this country and the world is in the financial mess it's in. They're spending money they don't have. They have IOUs out on IOUs.
I hate to break it to you, but there is a big wide world outside of trains. The state of the freight rail system has very, very little to do with our economic conditions and the passenger system has virtually nothing. The U.S. won't get much benefit from $300 million-per-mile HSR (which is more likely to work out to at least $1 to 2 billion-per-mile, accounting for cost overruns.) Frankly, HSR like Europe and Japan have is probably pretty close to one of the last things this country needs.
No its not, you cant compare the two systems at all. UK and Europe are short distances between towns, and short distances in general especially in the UK. Hence y there trains tend to be shorter and more passenger based. Here in the US and Canada things have to be shipped long distances, hence why we need more powerful locomotives and longer trains. And with Globalization, we should start thinking about us a whole earth, cooperating together, which will help everyone better. Not competing. Once again you state information you have no real clue what your talking about.
Yes I get that but our system is old and is breaking down. This high speed train is for technology but I'm opposed to it. All I'm saying is, we have a lot of old an aging things that need upgrading. Sure it'll cost money but you know if it helps efficiency and cut costs over time I'm for it. But the only issue is money. We just have a lot of issues that are in dire need of attention.
I'd have to say that Commuter Rail is not High Speed Rail is not Long Haul Freight... They may run on (at times the same) rails, but they are each there own peculiar animal. My biggest interest in all of them is dovetailed with the highway issue, and that's efficiency - moving more people and stuff with less fuel and pollution.
The only way to do that is improve our rail system. When was the last time a substantial amount of people rode the train? Before the interstate system was invented in 1957 and the rise of the airplane industry. So we either let the road system rot and start to abandon the airplane industry. Make a living hell for people to get through to the point where they give up and still no one will ride our trains. It takes up to three days to get to Chicago from Sacramento!!!! And how often is the train on time?? Almost never!!!! They can be several hours late to almost a day late!!!! There was an incident not to long ago about a westbound or eastbound train in the hills that was stuck due to weather conditions. Ran out of food and people became angry. I believe it was in Roseville or not far from there. People will just stay at home and just talk through Skype or Face Time for that matter during the holidays when most people travel. I hope you haven't forgotten about that Hert. Not trying sound angry but just the inevitable truth.
Wait...aren't you all about progress and innovation???
Putting your previous statements aside, if telecommuting ever takes off (and people have been predicting that for 15+ years now) then there will be much less need for rail and most transportation, making it even less-wise of an investment.
Also, your suggestion that "we either let the road system rot and start to abandon the airplane industry" is an astonishingly bad idea. You may like trains, but that doesn't mean they are practical for long-distance passenger service.
My whole point. So our rail system isn't much better than our road system. I've seen a couple of long distant trains myself recently. It's like a ghost town in there. Very few people from what I see inside those train cars. But with trains it a much smoother transition as far a hassle goes and really don't have any restrictions like they do at the GOD DAMN airports with those P.O.S. TSA agents. I'm sure if you watch CNN there'll be a few headlines about some not so nice incidents with the TSA, which is almost always their fault and the things they do are somewhat mind-boggling.
Wow you really don't understand American railroading or America's car culture. America's passenger rail has decline because of such vast distances one must travel, which is why you cant compare it to UKs. The freight side is what makes up the US rail industry. You keep spouting nonsense you have no clue about. I said we should invest in more light rail and public transit so that we can take cars off the highways. Most of the highways have run out of room to expand and cant handle the current loads they carry, coupled with the poor maintenance and its a definite recipe for disaster. Which we have already see in collapse of that one bridge in the mid west.
I agree with hert, your mindless posts of false information is really getting irritating. It's almost like your doing it on purpose just to get attention. Unless your 110% sure on your facts, then don't post acting like its true, because by the looks of many responses on here, your wrong.
Mindless posts???? I'm not trying to say I'm right or I know anything but it's not like it's gonna get done. I agree with the light rail but then again a question is FUNDING. We have got to really start to focus on other areas that are of importance. Besides it's really irritating how you guys intentionally drag my threads off topic with things that have nothing to do with what I was sharing. This junk doesn't matter. So it would be nice to get back on topic.
Our highway system was designed after the Autobahn, Ike leader of the Ally forces in WWII saw the need to rapidly transport troops in times of war. Not exactly sure how the autobahn is better? Most of the spots on it now enforce a speed limit, and its only 2 or 3 lanes so wouldnt be very good for USA.
Not sure why you would suggest this, the majority of highways in America have already exceeded the number of lanes they can hold and are still overcrowded. Hence why a smarter suggestion like light rail and buses, A lot of Americans do like the idea of park and rides.
Once again you have no clue what your talking about, the 1970s gas shortages had nothing to do with price, and price rose because of hyper-inflation during the time period. It had to do with a shortage in supply of gas that made people wait.
So your answer is for more red tape, that's one of reasons why we are in this mess. Because government has gotten too big and too many rules and regulations that nothing can get done. You should know living in California that smog is one of the most useless programs we have.
You should really educate yourself the different forms of public transit.
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