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South Korea opens high speed rail line
We are behind the South Koreans.
Meanwhile, in the USA we continue to fall further and further behind other Countries. When I left S. Korea in 2004 they were testing the first High Speed Line (Seoul-Busan) with opening not far away, now they open a 2nd high speed line. Here in what was once the most progressive Country our government wants to all but strip what it can from our passenger rail infrastructure. We have our heads in the wrong game here, we are a failing & falling country.
I didn’t already know this… Where is the cool photo? Amazing how other countries are able to get things done… we can’t even fix the NEC!
For comparison purposes we should really be comparing our rail network against China since both countries are relatively large land masses with great distances between major population centers. Even with this comparison we are behind in technology and speed.
217 miles built in 5 yeqrs. Here in Illinois we have an 11 mile stretch that seemingly has taken forever to get done. How long do you think it will take to complete the other 290 miles Chicago to St. Louis?
South Korea, a democracy, proves HSR need not take until the middle 21st century for planning, construction and implementation of service. Sadly, some of us will not be around to experience and enjoy HSR when completed in America. North America is a society of litigation, bureaucracy and dithering when it comes to railway passenger projects.
While American poloticians thump their chest about how “we lead the world” in this or that the real truth is that many former “developing” countries have zoomed right by us while America is stuck and outclassed on most fronts. Politicians taking care of their buddies and stuffing their own mattrasses while citys fall into ruin and most jobs have gone elsewhere. Korea, Japan, China have high speed rail and transportation infrastructure. We have potholes and decaying bridges.
It seems that we here in the US, when comparing passenger rail of any kind, forget that other than a handful of countries, these places such as Korea, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc. are simular in size to one of the states here. This would be like Michigan deciding that because 80% of its population is Detroit to Grand Rapids they should build HSR. The State, votes and builds and pays. Just that here in the US, Michigan decides to build HSR and says - ‘hey all you other 49 states you pay for it and we’ll figure out how to print the tickets’.
Korea can do this, we can’t. I’m willing to pay for rail in Michigan, but couldn’t care less about NEC, Florida, Chicago, San Fransisco, etc., hope they can build it, just not with my $$$ because i’ll never likely use theirs.
This is how we generally think, and rightfully so. If, Michigan wants HSR Detroit to Chicago, than pay for it and expect to pay for some of Indiana and Illinois if they are just “Roll Over” states, don’t expect them to volunteer to pay for smoething they can’t or won’t use.
This being the US, we let everyone else pay so we can play.