Originally Posted By Mr X ***ICE offers 186 MPH as standard*** Yeah, well, none of THAT matters much any more in terms of bragging rights, as it seemed I spoke too soon. At this time, according to wiki anyway, Chinese trains hit 300 mph on a regular basis (no maglev need apply). I love the awesomeness of it, but it scares me that they're so new at it (I wonder how deep their safety measures run...hopefully very deep!).
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Watching those American videos, you can clearly see whata craptastic infrastructure situation is going on...a platform area that anyone can just stroll onto the tracks!?" Huh? Most platforms around the world are like this. Hell, that video of the German tunnel looks pretty open to me. This videographer just strolled next to it. "Obvious at grade crossings for high speed trains!?" I believe the FRA permits grade crossings at up to 110 MPH as long as the crossing has four-quadrant gates. Nothing really wrong with it. "At this time, according to wiki anyway, Chinese trains hit 300 mph on a regular basis" What are you reading? The Chinese high speed trains hit 220 MPH. Maglev is the one that goes faster and it's only one short line.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones Here's a photo of passengers evacuating the tunnel an hour after someone was run over inside. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/c-s-n/4546830464/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/c...6830464/</a> Anyone can stroll onto the tracks anywhere.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Huh? Most platforms around the world are like this*** None in Japan that I'm aware of. Perhaps in small towns somewhere, but no way in any location where the trains scream past like bats out of hell. ***Hell, that video of the German tunnel looks pretty open to me. This videographer just strolled next to it.*** Hard to say from a simple video (he could've stuck the camera through the fence or something), but if so, that's no good. ***I believe the FRA permits grade crossings at up to 110 MPH as long as the crossing has four-quadrant gates. Nothing really wrong with it*** I believe the Acela hit and killed some kids on the tracks a while back. Nothing really wrong with it? Yeah, there is. It's ridiculously dangerous. What if a blind person happened to walk too close to the tracks at the wrong time, would that verbal warning be of any use? ***"At this time, according to wiki anyway, Chinese trains hit 300 mph on a regular basis" What are you reading? The Chinese high speed trains hit 220 MPH. Maglev is the one that goes faster and it's only one short line*** <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Railways_CRH380A" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C..._CRH380A</a> "The original 8-car train-set recorded a top speed of 416.6 km/h during a trial run and the longer 16-car train-set holds the world record for the fastest production train at 486.1 km/h." That's a lot more that 220mph... In fact, it's 302.
Originally Posted By Mr X "Anyone can stroll onto the tracks anywhere" That's a ridiculous statement. High speed rail tracks need fences, no at-grade crossings, and other measures to insure safety. What makes you think it's okay if they skimp on safety?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo To be fare, most European high speed lines are very easily accessable, well about as accessable as the freeways. We don't have the sue happy culture of the US, though it is getting worse.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***To be fare*** Nice pun! ***We don't have the sue happy culture of the US, though it is getting worse*** Well, in Japan lawsuits are rare to say the least, so I doubt the high level of safety is due to that concern. Granted, there are lots of suicides by jumping in front of trains (the family has to pay for the cleanup, though, so there's no cost to the taxpayer), so I suppose some of that adds into the safety measures. Still, it seems rather bizarre to me that someone like Spokker thinks it's fine and dandy for safety to be thrown out the window (or that it doesn't matter at all). That very basic matter of infrastructure is part of the reason why Acela, an otherwise impressive and cool train, simply sucks.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I appreciated TP2000's points in regards to the projected ridership numbers. I think that is what a lot of folks are concerned about. And, I futher agree that people will still be more inclined to take their own cars to WDW. Now, if WDW improves their own INTERNAL transportation then I could see arriving there (from in State) without my own vehicle. But, until then...I just prefer to have my car and get where I want to in a timely manner.
Originally Posted By Mr X But, we all know from reading post after post that people don't WANT to have a car at WDW (I know that you do and I do, but many, perhaps most, do NOT want to rent or otherwise drive on their Florida vacations, and perhaps even more still if there were high speed rail options to choose from). So that might be a point in favor of the projections vis a vis tourists.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper No, I'm talking about Floridians at WDW. I assume those ridership numbers included potential Floridians making the trip over. I'm saying I'm not sure those folks even get on the train until WDW improves it's own transportation. And, I'm not sure how many Floridians would want to limit their vacation strictly to WDW.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Now if there were a high speed rail system to connect cities in Fla, with a monorail/light rail/people mover hub and spoke transit system, that would be great. If I ever go to WDW again, I will be sure to have a car and stay off site. Seems people have a much better time that way.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>What if a blind person happened to walk too close to the tracks at the wrong time, would that verbal warning be of any use?<< There's a series of bells that start ringing before the gates go down, and I'm sure someone who is blind would be familiar with what they mean. There are also separate gates that go accross sidewalks at newer grade crossings, and I'm sure that ones with trains going that fast would need to be retrofitted to have them. There's no way to make 100% safe, but there are enough different means of communicating the danger, so I think they do a pretty good job with it. >>Anyone can stroll onto the tracks anywhere<< The California HSR Authority's regulations require fences all along the tracks. I'm not sure of the exact height, but I believe it's at least 10-15 feet, which would be more than enough to deter most people from just 'strolling' onto the tracks. The station platforms will be open to the tracks, like most places, but there's actually talk of putting in fences and gates (similar to what airport trams have) to keep people off the tracks there too. Either way, you could still probably make your way onto the tracks, but you'd really have to try to do it. >>I recently saw a deal of $39 to fly from Orange Co Ca to Orlando. That frankly is environmentally criminal<< Maybe so, but can you tell me where you saw it? I would love to have a getaway weekend to WDW, and if it only costs a couple bucks to get there, I might actually be able to afford it right now. Here's hoping I can find a flight that's even double that when I go next January! : )
Originally Posted By Manfried Disney would love to see a high speed connection to their resort, and not the others. Nor do they want to pay for it. Universal would love to see it too, but not to Disney. They don't want to pay for it either. So then the government ends up paying for something to directly aid a business. Or shall we call it a subsidy?
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Didn't anyone learn anything from the BP incident?" Learn? What are you? Some kind of commie? We're Americans. Drill baby drill. And then spend your time stuck in traffic jams because there's no money to widen the freeways.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Watching those American videos, you can clearly see whata craptastic infrastructure situation is going on" The US really has a 3rd world look and feel, doesn't it?
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Huh? Most platforms around the world are like this." When I rode the Eurostar I recall that the track was always fenced in and that there were no rail road crossings in the high speed sections (Between the Chunnel and Brussels)
Originally Posted By wahooskipper When I rode Eurostar in Italy a couple of years ago there were plenty of signs that said you should cross the tracks at the platforms....but there weren't any gates. I seem to recall seeing a video last year of a stroller with a child in it rolling off the platform.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "When I rode Eurostar in Italy" The Eurostar doesn't serve Italy. It runs between London, Paris and Brussels.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Learn? What are you? Some kind of commie?<<< Nope, a liberal democrat with socialist sympathies and commercial interests.
