Tech | April 21, 2011 | 7 comments

More Progress Toward the Fall of Rome!

source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/21/harrod.high.speed.rail.trains/index.html

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Swisher
"Stop the Train" was, literally, a rallying cry for post-Tea Party Republicans this past November.

Newly elected GOP governors in Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida have canceled already-funded high speed rail projects.

Much of the opposition to rail projects appears to stem not from economic arguments, but from fundamental cultural values on what "American" transportation should be.

A perusal of online commentaries about passenger rail stories reveals a curious linkage by writers between passenger rail and "European socialism."

Never mind that the majority of European passenger rail operates on a commercial basis.

Many critics of passenger rail emotionally identify it as an enabler of cultural values they fear.

Passenger rail is symbolic of many changes in our lives. For example, passenger rail inherently requires central administration. After all, trains cannot depart from a station without authority from a central dispatcher. This very need for central authority is unique to rail and frightening to those who yearn for an individual freedom from authority.

Railroads rank among the most physically restricted of all transportation modes. Trains demand the coordination of every single movement for safety and economy.

'Urban' areas vs. small towns

Second, a passenger rail project labels a route as an "urban" corridor, and provides the infrastructure and incentive for even more urban development.

This contradicts a vision of America, held by many, as a small town society centered on the automobile. In reality, rural towns continue to decline. The 2000 U.S. census classifies 79% of the U.S. population as "urban." Multiple studies project that statistic will reach 86% in 2030.

Take a look at China. China was still operating steam locomotives 10 years ago. China has invested $292 billion in its railways in the last five years. By 2014, China will have twice as many miles of high speed railway as all the rest of the world combined.

For some, the Chinese investment in passenger rail signifies a forward-thinking investment in the future, and something to be envied. For others, it is further evidence that passenger rail is only appropriate for a planned economy, and incompatible with the American way.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/21/harrod.high.speed.rail.trains/index.html
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    Tech,   High Speed Rail
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7 comments // More Progress Toward the Fall of Rome!

  • transfire
    • +1
      transfire  

    • Want to hear an amazing figure? I was floored when I had figured it out. I almost could not believe it, but I triple checked it, and the numbers are correct.

      Based on costs of operation of a high speed rail on a per mile bases from an official report on England's HSR system, plus a hefty markup to be on the safe side, the state of Florida could run high speed rail on every state highway --all 43,000 miles, and the yearly operation cost would be only $10 billion. That's only 30% more than Florida's current transportation budget -- And no one would have to pay a dime for train tickets.

    • 1 year ago
  • tdub901
  • extracrazykiwi2008
    • +2
      extracrazykiwi2008  

    • We cant afford trains.... right. So you can afford $5.00+ gas? We could just invade and take the oil... right. That has not worked either. Build the fucking trains already and avoid sitting traffic on your way to work. The really fast trains make more sense than flying... think about it.

    • 1 year ago
  • littlwarrior
    • +4
      littlwarrior  

    • If its change, good or bad, the tea party will oppose it simply to oppose it. This is what happened to all the great civilizations of the past, the mob took power by force of sheer will and volume, then generally barbarians kill us all.

    • 1 year ago
  • timetide
    • +5
      timetide  

    • lessons learned from history class:
      in the begining of the Industrial revolution the UK quickly jumped ahead of all otehr European countries by implementing a intricate railraod system. this system was considerd state of the art at placed the UK firmly command.

      as part of the 5-year plan Stalin invested in the rail system which fastracked the USSR from near death and forgotten status into one of the strongest powers in the world for several decades.

      esablsihed countries to maintain their lead and control. struggaling nations have used rail systems to rise in power and become a threat. history tells us not investing in rail systems and transportation tech. has devestating after effects on leading countries.

    • 1 year ago
  • coolplanet
    • +7
      coolplanet  

    • This reminds me of Glenn Beck "celebrating" Earth Day when he had a show on CNN a few years back. Beck had hundreds of energy-sucking appliances running full blast wasting electricity on his set touting that this is the American way.
      No wonder people call us The Great Satan!

    • 1 year ago
  • Swisher
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