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Monday, April 25, 2011

Update on High Speed Rail -- Not a Bakken Story

A few days ago I posted a story about the fact that LAX had no rail access. The light rail system came within 2.5 miles, but for various reasons never quite made it to the airport.

For those interested in the administration's goal for high speed rail for the nation, here is an update. It's an op-ed article but it is filled with facts. I was not aware that the recent budget compromise between Congress and the President resulted in loss of all federal high speed rail funding.

4 comments:

  1. Rail is a joke. People think that just because it works well in Japan and Europe that it will work here. It won't! We're a driving culture. There's nothing more american than driving with the top down. Driving is a symbol of our independance. The socialists in europe can go along with riding together but thankfully we never will.

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  2. And that's the biggest reason railroads won't work: as you say, America is all about driving.

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  3. Another article dissing passenger rail subsidy.
    http://www.startribune.com/opinion/120641959.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue

    The US has one of the best freight rail systems in the world. Freight rail thrives on longer distances. Passenger rail tends to clog up the freight traffic. Thus, if you really want to save energy, use the US rail system for more freight. Every container gondola rail-car takes two semis off the highways.

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  4. The last paragraph is most important:

    "The catch is that there is no upper limit on the price."

    And that's the problem with many government programs.

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