http://gas2.org/2008/05/13/california-building-220-mph-high-speed-train-from-san-francisco-to-la/
Page says it was published May 13th in Trains.
(I found it via http://reddit.com/)
Here’s the directions:
Dump one package “instant high speed rail line”
into a large pressure cooker.
Add $9B lettuce
and
copius amounts of palm grease
mix thoroughly.
Cook on high heat for a decade.
Serves a lot - we hope.
Well if this is true I would have given it about a 5% chance of passing three months ago. Now with all California regular gas over $4.00 if it stays there through the november elections a 50% chance. Southern CA will probably pass it but the northern areas and San Jouquine area I don’t know. You CA posters need to let us know. Of course CALTRAIN’s proposal to electrify SFO - SJC might skew the results.
Feeds thousands of consultants.
Considering the biggest California Passenger Rail riders organization is pissed at them over the route they’ve chosen, I wouldn’t feel as confident about things yet.
It’s a bad thing when your most vocal and active system users think the commission messed up.
As Squiggy said to Lennie on the old “Laverne and Shirley” TV show: “I’ll see it when I believe it.” - a.s.
Let’s see…the guvernator is trying to figure out how to close a huge (15-20 Billion dollars) gap between revenue and budget, nobody in either party likes his proposed strategies, and all of the budget-using constituencies are already screaming about cutbacks that still leave them way ahead of two years ago.
I don’t think we need a triple-A map to see how far this is going to go.
How is the prison guards union weighing in on it? I hear they run the state…
Maybe some cars with shackles?
My understanding was that with the current budget Snafu, this topic of DOA for at least the next couple years.
Pity, but the current route does kinda defy the logical thought process.
Probably true. The budget SNAFU will live on forever, unfortunately, unless we citizens can find a way to cut up the big credit card that is Sacramento.
The two largest groups fighting for high speed rail in the state of confusion better known as California can’t even get together on a route. One route wants to go over Pacheco Pass the other over Altamont Pass. The latter promises a larger population to choose from the former a more direct route. A third group wants to use a coastal route and the group I favor wants to use magnetic levitation and operate elevated above HWY 99 from Sacramento to Bakersfield then I-5 from their to Los Angeles and San Diego. For the Bay area their would be one route from San Francisco to San Jose then over Pacheco Pass and cross the valley to connect with HWY 99 route just above Fresno. The other route would connect the east bay cities with the HWY 99 route at Modesto. All of this train route would be elevated above already existing highways whose right of way we already own. The Mag-lev trains would operate at 270 miles to 300 hundred miles per hour. Cost for the two systems because the mag-lev route would already use existing right of way would be about the same. One proposal suggests that the mag-lev route be built all the way to Redding above I-5 north of Sacramento.
I will believe it when I see the ground being broken. With the state already having a budget shortfall of 5 billion I don’t see anything in my crystal ball yet.
The temperature here in Stockton today is presently 103 degrees. This has broken an all time record for this date and tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. The Fire warning has gone to red alert the earliest this has ever happened in the state. We had the driest February, March and April on record in the San Joaquin Valley. Needless to say I am staying in the air conditioned Apartment on this day and probably for the next few. I just had two lovely young ladies from the city at my door asking if my A/C was working properly and was I cool enough. First time I can ever remember that happening or maybe I was just dreaming.
Al - in - Stockton
Funny how wet it’s been in the Central Valley given that SoCal Blew through last year’s total rainfall in like a week an dhad a seriously wet first quarter.
I don’t think Oregon’s hurting for water either given some of the devistation.
Have to agree with the naysayers… I don’t see this happening any time soon. It’s been on the table for years - and CHSRA doesn’t have a clear route yet, I don’t know how they supposedly have environmental impact sign-off.
I’m definitely not sold on maglev - the astronomical cost is barely worth the speed increase, imho.
I’m also not sold on an elevated route over 99 - the last thing you want in the event of an accident is a train plunging into auto/truck traffic. It does certainly make sense from a r.o.w. aspect - except for the fact that you still have to have the elevated line clear the many overpasses on the route, and still be earthquake-proof. Even more $$$.
I think it’s going to be talked about for many many many many years… and may perhaps break ground before I die, as gas hits $15 a gallon maybe.
Of course you know who’s fighting against it the hardest - the airline lobbyists.
Hear that sound ? Its the thundering sound of lawyers lining up to be the first to file suit if this thing ever crashes/derails. [:D]
MagLev: I’ll believe that option when it finally proves itself.
Having ridden the Acela four times, this is something way past due. I’d much rather see our governments spending money building 300 mph train service all across our nation than to see us run empty buses and light rail that is only used 3 hours a day.
With the Acela you can go from downtown NYC to Baltimore or Washington DC in about the same time you spend getting from your hotel to the door of your airplane.
Yes there is red tape, but nothing happens quickly anymore.
Strange, but the French have the fastest train in the world 380 mph and they build the biggest airplane. So how can they get it done and we can’t?
This is a good idea and needs our support.
Just my [2c]
Joe
They also have a double-digit sales tax rate, let alone income tax rates, etc.
How do they do it ? Thats how. Its not rocket science.
At the same time, they, like almost every other European country, are seriously wondering how all their social services are going to be paid in the not so distant future, due to low/declining birth rates.
Right. Basically what Gov. Schwarzenegger did was defer the deficit with more debt, but in all fairness I don’t know what else he could have done.
BTW I don’t want to come off as an old toad, but are this guy’s credentials to be found?
Consulting Engineer? Professor? Economist? RR Specialist? Railroader? Politician? Futurologist? Gadfly? Flunked out of community college?
A really great visual presentation even if the paradigm is “book” rather than desktop publishing.
But a good job of word processing does not necessarily an expert make.
Not only the fastest train and biggest (commercial) airplane, but also the safest nukes, [I have been told],most thorough pre-natal care and most free time off from work – at least, so far. Arguably the best-nourished and probably the best food. When I visited there, I was all primed and ready to hate the place, but it grew on me.
The French got these things because they lobbied for them and got the central government to make them priorities. The U.S. has different priorities at the tippy-top but I can’t say any of them lest I morph into “Politics.” [sigh]