Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.worldchanging.com/800px-High-Speed_Rail_Corridor_Designations.png" target="_blank">http://www.worldchanging.com/8...ions.png</a> So, cool? Stupid? Never gonna happen? Boondoggle? Brilliant? One thing that struck me as odd, there seem to be several areas where if they extended just a bit further, the entire regions could be completely interconnected. If they're going to do this far, I don't understand whey they wouldn't go "all the way". I understand that the West Coast is another story, but it seems as though they could connect the entire East Coast with the entire Mid-West with a simple connecting leg between either Buffalo and Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, or both. Similarly, if they're going to run trains all the way from Montreal to Jacksonville FL, and then ANOTHER high speed section connecting Tampa, Orlando and Miami, why would they not connect Jacksonville to Orlando and be done with it (entire eastern seaboard high speed covered..I'd ride )? I also don't understand why Houston would be separated from all the other three texas main stations..if there were a through connection you could travel from many points in Texas into the South easily..as it stands Houston is the only option. Finally, though this one is a stretch distance wise, if one were to connect Tulsa to Kansas City, you'd have a connection from Texas all the way up through the mid-west areas. Anyway, an ambicious idea to say the least, I'm optimistic if the beginnings of this effort are anything like the map. I wonder if any of my ideas would belong to some sort of "phase two", it would seem to make logical sense ALTHOUGH I do realize the idea is for a lot of regional options, and not some vast spiderweb to connect a far too gigantic country. Thoughts?
Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.worldchanging.com/800px-High-Speed_Rail_Corridor_Designations.png" target="_blank">http://www.worldchanging.com/8...ions.png</a> So, cool? Stupid? Never gonna happen? Boondoggle? Brilliant? One thing that struck me as odd, there seem to be several areas where if they extended just a bit further, the entire regions could be completely interconnected. If they're going to do this far, I don't understand whey they wouldn't go "all the way". I understand that the West Coast is another story, but it seems as though they could connect the entire East Coast with the entire Mid-West with a simple connecting leg between either Buffalo and Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, or both. Similarly, if they're going to run trains all the way from Montreal to Jacksonville FL, and then ANOTHER high speed section connecting Tampa, Orlando and Miami, why would they not connect Jacksonville to Orlando and be done with it (entire eastern seaboard high speed covered..I'd ride )? I also don't understand why Houston would be separated from all the other three texas main stations..if there were a through connection you could travel from many points in Texas into the South easily..as it stands Houston is the only option. Finally, though this one is a stretch distance wise, if one were to connect Tulsa to Kansas City, you'd have a connection from Texas all the way up through the mid-west areas. Anyway, an ambicious idea to say the least, I'm optimistic if the beginnings of this effort are anything like the map. I wonder if any of my ideas would belong to some sort of "phase two", it would seem to make logical sense ALTHOUGH I do realize the idea is for a lot of regional options, and not some vast spiderweb to connect a far too gigantic country. Thoughts?
Originally Posted By avro_imagineer Well the one thing (for obvious reasons) I did notice is that Toronto is missing. OK Ignore our Capital (Ottawa). Toronto is the manufacturing/population/financial cornerstone of Canada. The Golden Horseshoe (the area between Buffalo and Detroit) is home to over 8 million people... More International trade crosses this route than any other. <<I understand that the West Coast is another story, but it seems as though they could connect the entire East Coast with the entire Mid-West with a simple connecting leg between either Buffalo and Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, or both.>> Although to Americans this may make sense, it makes more sense to connect via Toronto, for the reasons I stated above. Many Americans who live in this area already use the 401 as a "short cut" (also one that's smooth and in stretches up to 20 lanes wide and won't kill your cars suspension but that's another story). Do they not have a "Phase II" corridor proposal as well?
Originally Posted By Mr X Interesting Avro. Although with the new ridiculous rules requiring all to hold passports for transit, I would imagine that having a "non-terminus" stop in Canada could be complicated. Interesting, though. I like that idea too.
Originally Posted By avro_imagineer ^^ Well Canadian ports/airports have pre-clearance for Americans. (US ran obviously), so it's not much of a stretch a similar plan could be done. Or they could do both links. Sometimes it takes a global "look". Windsor transit buses cross the border into Detroit for example. This could also be implemented with "locked" compartments for those not stopping in Canada. Remember also our requirements for entry into Canada are more lenient. Or you could just have everyone pre-screen with NEXUS. (Can't you tell at least one LPer may already be)
Originally Posted By Mr X Interesting info Avro...hopefully they'll implement some of that stuff in "phase II" (if phase I ever happens that is lol).
Originally Posted By avro_imagineer Hey and I know of a company that already has High Speed equipment developed. Of course the rails in North America are woefully inadequate. I'm all for trains. They make more sense then planes in many ways. And you can have car carriers (I'm not a public transit type of person). Not that I recommend it but if you ever go into a rail yard it's amazing how one wimpy guy can "push" a heavy train car. Sorry for going off topic. Hey if Japan and Europe can do it. Why can't we. Oh wait not enough paid lobbyists.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >> Fri 2/20/2009 11:23p <a href="http://www.worldchanging.com/8...ions.png" target="_blank">http://www.worldchanging.com/8...ions.png</a> So, cool? Stupid? Never gonna happen? Boondoggle? Brilliant? << Our country is, only, the laughing stock of the world, when it comes to efficient means of transportation ...... this should have been installed 30 years ago! Or more!
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Hey and I know of a company that already has High Speed equipment developed. Of course the rails in North America are woefully inadequate.*** No WAY can they use the same rails, that would be an unmitigated disaster (isn't already, on the East Coast with lame Acela?). Oh GOD I hope that isn't the plan. Yikes. (for one thing, an effective high speed rail needs to be largely ELEVATED, and none of the existing rails is afaik)
Originally Posted By avro_imagineer ^^^ When it comes to infrastructure what have we learnt? Adoptation of Monorails check, rapid expansion (and widening) of Interstates check, maintenance, check.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I'd sure like to see a high speed connection that would eventually get us to Orlando. I remember seeing a Disney survey a few years back that showed almost 50% of the visitors from Chicago and I believe it was Pittsburgh ( could have been Philly ) - drove to WDW.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I also don't understand why Houston would be separated from all the other three texas main stations..if there were a through connection you could travel from many points in Texas into the South easily..as it stands Houston is the only option. >>> The map you linked to in #1 tells a different story than the plan that Texas is currently working on. Check out: <a href="http://www.thsrtc.com/" target="_blank">http://www.thsrtc.com/</a> <<< Of course the rails in North America are woefully inadequate. I'm all for trains. They make more sense then planes in many ways. ... Oh wait not enough paid lobbyists. >>> It's funny you should mention this. While you're at the website I link to above, check out the list of members of the Texas High Speed Rail commission: the Executive Committee is made up of government agencies in the areas affected, as you might expect. The Associate Members are mostly other government agencies, but there are three private entities as well: one is a hospital, and the other two are American Airlines (HQ in Dallas) and Continental Airlines (HQ in Houston). Hmmm... The two biggest airlines in Texas, each with a hub in one of the cities to be served by the high speed rail, are on the commission that's overseeing the rail project? I guess one might give them the benefit of the doubt and say that they want to make sure that the rail projects have good connections to their hub airports, but I can't help but consider that an effective high-speed rail system in Texas might substantially cut into the demand for their short-haul flights from their hubs. Also, notice how the proposed route map does not provide a direct link between the two biggest cities in Texas (which again happen to be the hubs for the two airlines on the committee), but requires a detour that adds about 30% to the journey distance. Coincidence?
Originally Posted By DAR <<Our country is, only, the laughing stock of the world, when it comes to efficient means of transportation ...... this should have been installed 30 years ago! Or more!>> Depends where you live. I'm ten minutes from where I work. About twenty from the major shopping areas, Miller Park, the Bradley Center(where the Bucks play). It's about twenty for me to get to any major shopping areas. Most of the metro Milwaukee area is set up that way. Our "traffic jams" never really run more than an hour. I guess it would be cool to have something like this, but around here I don't know how feasible it would really be. Plus I like getting in my car and getting where I need to be without the worry of a schedule.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Plus I like getting in my car and getting where I need to be without the worry of a schedule." You'd fit right in here in L.A.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I'm heading to Italy in June and have planned my entire stay around the train routes. Our hotels will be within walking distance in Venice and Milan and a short cab ride in Brescia. And, we are looking forward to it. I'd ride reliable trains in the States too...if they existed.
Originally Posted By DAR Though I will say that our Govenor is considering toll roads, so maybe a rail system wouldn't be too bad.
Originally Posted By mawnck <------ALWAYS try to take public transportation if it fits into my schedule. It NEVER does.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Writer down here in S. Florida decided to try to take public transportation into work one day and write about it. His 45 minute commute by car took nearly 4 hours...one way. Needless to say, he was back in the car the next day.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <I'm heading to Italy in June and have planned my entire stay around the train routes. Our hotels will be within walking distance in Venice and Milan and a short cab ride in Brescia. > Trains work extremely well in Europe. I was really impressed with how punctual they were too; the first time I rode them extensively was 1982, long before Euro integration, when crossing borders was more of a "thing" than it is now, and STILL if they told you you'd leave Barcelona at 9:16, cross thru France and Belgium and arrive in Amsterdam at 4:43, that's exactly what happened. If they can do it, we can do it.
