Well like I said before…Caltrans has done a good deal to get passenger rail going in CA between Metrolink, The Coaster and Amtrak California…but HSR is going to be a while in coming. The political fact is that CA, geography aside, is probably the most expensive state to construct in due to societal and enviromental barriers in the country…if not the world. Without using existing ROWs, which would require considerable modification to eliminate grade crossings, the real estate alone is going to drive the cost through the roof. And please don’t take my comments wrong…San Fran to SD is a perfect place to run a cooridor from a population density and a would be a real no kidding competitor to Southwest Airlines and an the interstates… but the amount of BS red tape and expense to do it make my head hurt.
Aren’t we all a little late on this topic? California’s proposed HSR line has been in the records for a while…I’m quite surprised nobody’s mentioned the Authority getting it started. http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov is an incredibly informative site, and it tells all about what’s happening and already happened…
As unreasonable as it sounds, and all the BS we’re getting here…It IS on the ballot for the first time this November. The route’s already planned for the most part and they’re ready to go. Unfortunately the $9.95 billion may have trouble passing…although I’m a definitive “Yes”—more jobs for Civil Engineers [:D] and the HSR thing in the US has to get started somewhere.
Cheer up people
ha
Derek
Here Here. They’ve been talking about H.S.R. for a 200 - 300 mile radius around Chicago for years now, but no action has been taken yet. Too many feasibility and environmental impact studies and no firm plan.
Joe
The only way high speed rail is going to happen is if it gains widespread public support and/or is connected to some other good outcome such as boosting employment, saving money on freeways, mitigating environmental concerns, etc. It will also need a huge input of federal and state grant money to get it constructed which in today’s budget fighting seems unlikely.
While it’s an obvious and badly needed solution, our society just no longer has any long-term vision about anything. Perhaps the Calif. housing crisis will ultimately make the difference by routing high speed rail to low cost areas for housing and connecting them with the coastal business and employment centers. Already the Altamont Pass trains are running profitably and at full capacity from Stocton to San Jose. But we can’t even get BART connected around the bay!
Bummer…
Nothing that ever resembles “planning ahead” is ever done in this state. I think its against the State Constitution.
We build first, then we install the infrastucture and support systems by wedging it into the leftover space, and thats to a level thats already 10 years out of date. Is it any wonder we can get around at all in California.
Dharmon said it, I also said it in my earlier post, building infrastucture like new ROW for HSR or highway widening or even replacement structures like highway or train bridges had come to an almost complete halt prior to the budget fiasco. The costs and the legal BS and the NIMBY’s who female dog and whine about how long it takes them to get to LAX but vote down any taxes for improvements have halted all progress out here.
Its getting absolutely ridiculous!!! I woulndt plan on seeing a shovel of dirt turned on this for at least 10-15 years. By which time it will be faster to take the overnight mule-train over the mountains than to try and drive…
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon
The Soviets were planning to use the ground effect vehicles as fast combat assault craft, simililar to the LCACs (hover craft) that the USN/USMC use, only with much greater range, payload and speed. They tested prototypes in the Black sea. But as i recall you are correct that they did not perform as well as hoped in rougher sea states.
Now back to California bashing…
So where exactly is all the money in CA going???
I’ve lived in TX and FL, were service fees, sales and property taxes are high, but no income tax and they seem to get by okay as far as state services.
I’ve lived in Commonwealth of VA where your money becomes common wealth. They have moderate to low sales tax, moderate income
Kallifoonia is a microcosm of our national system…In other words Special Interests rules. Nothing gets to where its needed because of all the interest groups hustling for their peice of pork. Personally I’d like to see the whole dam legislature removed and new officials voted in. Its the same problem with the rest of the country.
I blame the Golden Rule…who ever has the gold makes the rules, and rewrites the laws to make dam sure they keep the gold from everyone else. Our government is being crippled by greed and backdoor dealings. Decisions made on purely political ideology, not common sense, are going to destroy what we call “the American Way”. And the people just sit back drooling watching “American Idol” or crying to high heaven in outrage over Janet Jackson showing some skin, Sheeesh , no wonder Europeans think we are completely crazy.