what the heck is it with Dems and high speed trains?

[Inspector Jihad]

Trains are a big fucking waste. It cost me $40 and 3 hours to take the train from Davis to San Francisco. I can do the drive in an hour and a half with about 4 gallons of gas.

cause its poorly implemented.

 

[Robor]

Google Maps says that's 85 miles. That's about the same distance from San Diego to Anaheim.

I can get to Orlando from my area (west of Tampa) in < 2 hours. Going to Miami or Ft Lauderdale is 5+.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

I seriously feel like I'm stuck in a bad episode of The Simpsons. Obama keeps talking about this like its going to save the economy. Now Michigan just announced it got a couple hundred million just to help plan one out. Not actually drive any nails or build any cars...just for planning.

How is a high speed train supposed to help? Didn't they already have to bailout Amtrack?

It's not going to help at all, a high speed train takes about as much energy as every passenger on that train riding alone in an electric car does.

The reality is that Obama, like any other politician in any oil-rich nation cannot really go against big oil in his own nation.

Honda has made a perfectly fine hydrogen fuel cell version of an electric car, it's four seats regular sedan, it will run about 500 kilometers per tank, it's carbon neutral and while the price RIGHT NOW on hydrogen is about the same as for petrol, it will cost one 50'th of it when a majority of vehicles start using it instead of petrol.

That said, the US does NOT want anything to replace the regular combustion engine personal vehicles for obvious reasons.

That said, the medium speed trains you are planning (anything below 250mph isn't a high speed train) might very well be of good use considering your logistics and as anyone living in Europe knows, owning a car and living in the city is retarded and providing those who have to drive to work (when there are plenty doing so) with alternate means will cut down on the costs as well as on the environmental costs.

We've been doing that in the EU for about 50 years now, welcome to the future.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I've read up alot on high speed rail.

It is THE WAY to go.

Start reading:
http://www.railwayage.com/


People in other countries don't understand why we don't already have it.

As for unemployment, putting people to work has a multiplier effect. The person working on the rails, eats at restaurants and goes shipping which employs other people.

 

[CPA]

It might make sense in urban regions of the country (ie the Northeast) where you have several major cities relatively close together, but other than that, airplanes have left long-distance passenger travel by train behind.


Amtrak is a government-owned corporation that should be privatized, likely split into several smaller companies operating in various regions of the nation.

No smart company would touch Amtrak with a ten foot poll. It has lost billions of dollars over the years.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

I seriously feel like I'm stuck in a bad episode of The Simpsons. Obama keeps talking about this like its going to save the economy. Now Michigan just announced it got a couple hundred million just to help plan one out. Not actually drive any nails or build any cars...just for planning.

How is a high speed train supposed to help? Didn't they already have to bailout Amtrack?

LoL - Take a look at the mess that is happening in California

The SF to LA line is not even going to actually pass through SF but Fresno, CA.

Why?

Because anything major being built in the city usually equates to instant law suits, protests, money shake downs and other political BS. The project itself already seems like it will end up over budget and unable to sustain a profit for the foreseeable future.

 

[chucky2]

Except JoS, what we'll get here in the US is a massively expensive project, with massive long term cost, unacceptable service and maintenance - but pay top dollar for it, and it won't meet the needs of the people.

Also what someone said above is correct: The sh1ttier parts of America treat things like an animal in your garage sh1tting over everything and tearing it up.

Then the incompetant overpaid person may or may not clean and/or fix it.

People have to deal with it the next day, say, F this, I'll just take my car from now on.

Then Metra says, We need money, we don't have enough revenue!

 

[bfdd]

We should have this already. It's a fucking shame we don't.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Oh. One of the ideas is to reduce the number of airports and using the smaller airports are rail terminals to take people to main hubs. This is much cheaper would reduce air congestion.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

Many jerks behave the way they do because they feel disconnected from the rest of society. In a place like Germany or Switzerland, people are probably told from an early age that they are what makes the country great and that this is their fatherland and that they need to work hard to make it strong and powerful; nationalism. In 'merika, everyone reminds you how the government is evil and everyone is out to kidnap you and everyone but you should be taxed.

Maybe it's just TV that has changed, but didn't old TV shows and old movies make it sound patriotic to pay taxes and support Uncle Sam? I swear I've heard "I pay my taxes" and "serve my country" said in ghetto movies with bad sound and no color.

Nationalism is good? Geez I thought anything pro-American was "Racist".

Or is nationalism good only when it serves the proposes of supporting a ill conceived and planned boondoggle project?

 

[ShawnD1]

That said, the medium speed trains you are planning (anything below 250mph isn't a high speed train) might very well be of good use considering your logistics and as anyone living in Europe knows, owning a car and living in the city is retarded

How do you guys buy food and stuff? I remember needing to help my mom unload groceries every week, and it took several trips to and from the car to get all of it. That was just 1 week worth of stuff for a family of 4 and it probably weighed about 150 pounds. 1 gallon of milk weighs about 9 pounds, and metal cans filled with mostly water aren't light either.

I can't imagine having to carry my computer home on the bus. I'd probably get stabbed by nig minorities.
That comment crosses the line (pun slightly intended). 3 days off. -Admin DrPizza

 

[DominionSeraph]

Nationalism is good? Geez I thought anything pro-American was "Racist".

Or is nationalism good only when it serves the proposes of supporting a ill conceived and planned boondoggle project?

This is why we can't have nice things.

Idiots everywhere.

 

[DucatiMonster696]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Idiots everywhere.

Nice meme...don't you have a "I hate AmeriKKKa" meeting to attend?

 

[manimal]

I'd probably get stabbed by nig minorities.

Is that necessary? Seriously? Do you like advertising that your a moron?

 

[ShawnD1]

Is that necessary? Seriously? Do you like advertising that your a moron?

For a while my signature was "I voted for McCain" so maybe that answers your question

 

[DominionSeraph]

Nice meme...don't you have a "I hate AmeriKKKa" meeting to attend?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2LwZMwE8AE

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

How do you guys buy food and stuff? I remember needing to help my mom unload groceries every week, and it took several trips to and from the car to get all of it. That was just 1 week worth of stuff for a family of 4 and it probably weighed about 150 pounds. 1 gallon of milk weighs about 9 pounds, and metal cans filled with mostly water aren't light either.

I can't imagine having to carry my computer home on the bus. I'd probably get stabbed by nig minorities.

The outback of Afghanistan isn't "in the city"

Neither is my home so i usually just bike to and from, it's just a couple of miles...

You don't have to shop monthly either, you can actually do it every day, a couple of miles on a bike takes ten minutes, if you don't have that to spare something is wrong.

 

[alphatarget1]

How do you guys buy food and stuff? I remember needing to help my mom unload groceries every week, and it took several trips to and from the car to get all of it. That was just 1 week worth of stuff for a family of 4 and it probably weighed about 150 pounds. 1 gallon of milk weighs about 9 pounds, and metal cans filled with mostly water aren't light either.

I can't imagine having to carry my computer home on the bus. I'd probably get stabbed by nig minorities.

When I lived in Germany I had to walk 5-10 minutes from my apartment to the train station, which isn't a big deal until you have to get groceries. Buying a case of glass-bottled mineralwasser and bringing it home was not fun.

One of my friends had an old ford and it was much more pleasant to drive somewhere to buy groceries and not have to carry it all back. Of course we all carpooled. There were 3 of us in a small hatchback... haha, good times.

There are areas in the US where trains (intra-intercity) would make sense, obviously, but it's not the cure all for our transportation problem.

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

When I lived in Germany I had to walk 5-10 minutes from my apartment to the train station, which isn't a big deal until you have to get groceries. Buying a case of glass-bottled mineralwasser and bringing it home was not fun.

There are areas in the US where trains (intra-intercity) would make sense, obviously, but it's not the cure all for our transportation problem.

You get a bike and use it, you have bikes in the US? You know how they work? They are not just for competitive racing by EPO injecting retards you know?

 

[sandorski]

Nationalism is good? Geez I thought anything pro-American was "Racist".

Or is nationalism good only when it serves the proposes of supporting a ill conceived and planned boondoggle project?

He speaks of a different form of Nationalism. That form is where the People work together to make their Nation better. The perceived Nationalism of the US is where one takes for granted their ability to kick another Nations ass and pretty much ends there.

 

[Craig234]

It doesn't matter if it will work or not, that thought process is irrelevant to Dem's.

95% of what's said about liberals here is wrong or lies, I can't remember the other 5%.

 

[JSt0rm]

You left out the two biggest advantages of any train.

1. Helping to eliminate the idea that the proles should be able to travel wherever they wish whenever they wish rather than where the enlightened political class thinks they should travel on the government's schedule.

2. Providing a large, centralized pool of unskilled labor union jobs to support the progressive agenda.

lol. stupid.

 

[ShawnD1]

You don't have to shop monthly either, you can actually do it every day, a couple of miles on a bike takes ten minutes, if you don't have that to spare something is wrong.

I'm mostly curious about winter. From about mid november to maybe May or so, this whole region is covered in snow and the temperature is usually between -10 and -20C. It'll sometimes go to -40 but I wouldn't expect anyone to shop on those days.
I just can't imagine how bad that would suck. Having to buy food every 1-2 days and hauling it home on the bus. Even with a car, I hate shopping for groceries in winter. Those shopping carts don't work worth shit on snow.

This is what all of Canada and maybe half of the US looks like in April. Take a trip to detroit some time. If the criminals don't get ya, good ol winter will.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bzDEiUSHBI&feature=related

 

[CanOWorms]

Many jerks behave the way they do because they feel disconnected from the rest of society. In a place like Germany or Switzerland, people are probably told from an early age that they are what makes the country great and that this is their fatherland and that they need to work hard to make it strong and powerful; nationalism.

We have seen what this type of behavior brings about in Europe. It has led to the deaths of billions of people. I doubt clean streets is worth that many lives.

 

[sandorski]

I'm mostly curious about winter. From about mid november to maybe late March or so, this whole region is covered in snow and the temperature is usually between -10 and -20C. It'll sometimes go to -40 but I wouldn't expect anyone to shop on those days.
I just can't imagine how bad that would suck. Having to buy food every 1-2 days and hauling it home on the bus. Even with a car, I hate shopping for groceries in winter. Those shopping carts don't work worth shit on snow.

In a well planned area you don't even need a bike. You can go downstairs or a couple buildings over to buy Food.