Why can't America have high-speed trains? (Page 3): Where do you live regionally, just curious as I live on the east coast the population has grown to the extent, that traveling say...

Morgan

Big Bass wrote:

Trains are an efficient method of transportation. However, in order to put in a decent infrastructure to make them worthwhile, the costs would be prohibitive - acquiring land for rail lines, etc., disruption of people and property, etc. Would it not make more sense to improve existing infrastructure, roads, at a tiny fraction of the cost and relatively minute disruption of people and property?

Where do you live regionally, just curious as I live on the east coast the population has grown to the extent, that traveling say from Virginia to Boston is a nightmare. The last time I drove it I drove all through the night to make a funeral and got caught in three traffic jams. Road work around DC is 24/7 every day and still monkey's f'n a football, then for even more fun we have to get through NY

Now I believe these metropolitan areas are in continuous cycles, by the time they are done with one end they go back to the beginning. Not to mention gas but tolls now are a killer in time and the wallet.

Would I take a nice comfy train ride, sleep, snack, watch a movie, or read on my laptop, you betcha I'd take the train. But we still don't have great transit systems in the cities, as I've seen else where, and even worse are the suburban areas. One reason I do drive is so I can have my car.

Though I am still for fixing are needed infrastructure, what's the hold up there?

Morgan

bggamers wrote:

Takes me 10.5 hours to dr straight through to see sister. Would be nice to go by train. Dont mean to be nosey how much does it cost its been 52 years since I road a train.

Geez 52 years!

Unfortunately it's not cheap about the cost of a plane ticket the last time I checked and even that was a while ago. I mean about ten years. As a kid I took a three-day trek to Florida, first time on a train for the overnight excursions, I had a GREAT time, they had a dining car, movies. bingo, model show, it was great, but that was another time. Now I'm not sure what it's like.

Morgan

archie bunker wrote:

That might not be a bad idea, as long as the government doesn't run it.

I'm with Mr. Counselor on this one though. I would never (well maybe) ride one. I will get in the flying tube if I have to, but I'd rather drive myself. I don't even like to ride with my wife driveng, and she drives a truck for a living.
Maybe it is a control thing. But that's the way it is.

Yep, what is with that and men? Won't give up the keys or the remote LOL

pappadeux Loc: Phoenix AZ

Morgan wrote:

Where do you live regionally, just curious as I li... (show quote)

that whole area is run by the Demolition(demos)party and they do a hell of a job on a day at a time, sometimes a week at a time and sometimes it seems like forever. I used to live in the area and since moved to Arizona.the same problems but not quite as bad.depends on who's in charge.

Morgan

Weewillynobeerspilly wrote:

well, that's the problem we would have with our trains...too many stops, we have some fairly high speed commuter ones in my area, going from Fort Worth to Dallas......the plus is no traffic, the multiple stops along the way does not save much time....just money for fuel.

They are building a new stop 1 mile from my house.....too bad it will not be used like they are thinking.

You're right too many stops is part of the problem and I'm not sure how to resolve that except to have people drive to stops a little further out of their way to have fewer. if I took an Amtrack I have to travel 2.1/2 hours to get there, but I'd have to do that to get a plane also.

What do you mean it won't be used like they're thinking? What's the difference?

Morgan

pappadeux wrote:

that whole area is run by the Demolition(demos)party and they do a hell of a job on a day at a time, sometimes a week at a time and sometimes it seems like forever. I used to live in the area and since moved to Arizona.the same problems but not quite as bad.depends on who's in charge.

I dunno Pappa I'm so done with blaming one party over the other, I do agree it is who's in charge, some people get it done some don't.

Weewillynobeerspilly Loc: North central Texas

Morgan wrote:

You're right too many stops is part of the problem and I'm not sure how to resolve that except to have people drive to stops a little further out of their way to have fewer. if I took an Amtrack I have to travel 2.1/2 hours to get there, but I'd have to do that to get a plane also.

What do you mean it won't be used like they're thinking? What's the difference?

They are building it in a residenial area for one, my neighborhood is not going to be heavy with the public transportation crowd, ......the only train that should be rolling down those tracks is The Tarantula. ...1800s steamer that goes from Grapevine to the stockyards in Fort Worth .

If there were several sets of tracks side by side, run like a bus route and only stopping at certain stops, instead of everyone of them on a single line..........that would save travel time immensely. .........

2-1/2 hours!! How far out in the middle of nowhere do you live

Big Bass

Morgan wrote:

Where do you live regionally, just curious as I li... (show quote)

Congress is anti-Trump for getting anything done. Draining the swamp immediately is imperative.

pappadeux Loc: Phoenix AZ

Morgan wrote:

I dunno Pappa I'm so done with blaming one party over the other, I do agree it is who's in charge, some people get it done some don't.

We are on the same page

Morgan

Weewillynobeerspilly wrote:

They are building it in a residenial area for one,... (show quote)

I'm sure you're thankful for that, putting it in a residential area may be a little odd, as you say due to the incoming traffic, but more to the point being able to expand if things go well. Building parallel tracks would work but be expensive. Now you got me thinking, hey now no jokes

What they could also do is have one train pick up at A,C,E the other B,D,F or farther apart, one am, the other pm.

Well if I told ya I'd have to kill ya,

It's not nowhereville but it is where the wild horses and dolphins swim and what makes living here worthwhile.

Morgan

Big Bass wrote:

Congress is anti-Trump for getting anything done. Draining the swamp immediately is imperative.

They have full control... at some point, excuses run dry. I can't see why either side at this point wouldn't back up improving the so needed infrastructure. Who's really pulling the strings of congress? Is it all about funneling all our money to the military and their contractors, despite other needed issues?

teabag09

Morgan, I think it comes down to Americans being so independent. We pretty much aren't willing to give up our cars and be dependent on public transportation. Just a thought. Mike

Morgan wrote:

More and more cars and trucks, more and more expanding highways still with traffic jams, we are far behind other countries when it comes to rail systems. Between layover times, security lines, government bail outs, expense, and airport hassles, why do we not move towards more energy efficient train systems. Is it due to the control of the oil industries? Some thoughts...

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/03/opinions/smart-high-speed-trains-america/index.html

teabag09

Morgan, your thought is a good one. Unfortunately, as you stated earlier, we can drive to our destination quicker, have control over our convenience, have ready transportation when we arrive. The other problem is our passenger train system is run like Greyhound. They stop at every po-dunk town which is agonizing. As far as being more efficient, taking the bus would be less polluting than the passenger trains as they are used today. Freight, that's a whole different matter. Mike

Morgan wrote:

They come to you for comfort advice? What's your shingle...truck stop counseling here...That's a great idea!

I completely respect your choice, I'm only wishing we had more choices for everyone. Driving a big truck is fun.

I understand you don't give a hoot about fuel efficiency, but it comes down to being more energy independent, and considering the air we all breathe.

peter11937 Loc: NYS

Morgan wrote:

More and more cars and trucks, more and more expanding highways still with traffic jams, we are far behind other countries when it comes to rail systems. Between layover times, security lines, government bail outs, expense, and airport hassles, why do we not move towards more energy efficient train systems. Is it due to the control of the oil industries? Some thoughts...

http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/03/opinions/smart-high-speed-trains-america/index.html

Stupidity, the swamps corruption? We should have these coast to coast. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=high+speed+magnetic+levitation+trains&qpvt=high+speed+magnetic+levitation+trains&FORM=VDRE

peter11937 Loc: NYS

teabag09 wrote:

Morgan, your thought is a good one. Unfortunately, as you stated earlier, we can drive to our destination quicker, have control over our convenience, have ready transportation when we arrive. The other problem is our passenger train system is run like Greyhound. They stop at every po-dunk town which is agonizing. As far as being more efficient, taking the bus would be less polluting than the passenger trains as they are used today. Freight, that's a whole different matter. Mike

My Uncle was a nuclear engineer who helped design and build a nuclear powered locomotive that could run ten years without refueling. The test runs were successful, but there was and is so much paranoia about nuclear energy, it was disassembled and has vanished .