Pete Buttigieg: I want the United States to be leading the world in high speed rail

[Quixote1818]

Video only at link:

https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/watch/pete-buttigieg-i-want-the-united-states-to-be-leading-the-world-in-high-speed-rail-100555333554?cid=sm_npd_ms_fb_hb&fbclid=IwAR1JOKMzyTaSxXtjsrz6CDxFArXKfT4d9zUAh4aLCHphgv41lJ3VST7XpY4

[bluestarone]

1. NICE!

[rurallib]

2. Me too, Pete!

[seta1950]

3. I'd love

For the high speed rail in California to be done without further delay and more.

[DBoon]

6. Yes

There is enough air and auto traffic between SoCal and the Bay Area to justify this.

[onetexan]

9. +1 K&R - Sec. Pete is the perfect fit for Sec of Transportation - innovative and transformative

These transportation infrastructure projects will create many many jobs for Americans, and in turn benefit the lagging economy

[eissa]

10. Yes, please!

I live in the Central Valley and for those who work in the Bay Area, the commute is brutal. Getting to other parts of the state requires hours in the car, usually stuck in traffic. We deserve better.

[dhill926]

17. hell yeah....

it's been a cluster thus far...

[WarGamer]

47. It's been a disaster, a boondoggle.

They should have started with ONE LINE.

Palmdale to Vegas with no stops.

Have a big park and ride near Palmdale.

90 minutes to Vegas. (150mph)

People would be THRILLED with it and the "acceptance level" would skyrocket.

It's not too bright to install high speed rail that only runs at 80mph and stops every 10-20 miles.

Me personally I was never a fan of HSR until I was in Naples and caught the HSR to Rome.

Unbelievable, I want one here.

[Xolodno]

52. I agree.

That makes the most sense. Maybe add a stop in Victorville/Hesperia for those who go to Vegas via the Inland Empire and Orange County.

But...how do you justify CA tax money paying for Nevada's benefit? The Federal Government should get involved in some routes, finance and build it themselves if it requires to cross state lines.

And I desperately want high speed rail from Palmdale to Fresno, have family and own some property up there. Its a long drive that gets irksome and certain times of the year, dangerous due to the fog or smells absolutely awful, some time gag worthy.

[Klaralven]

59. It would be a lot cheaper to build a bunch of big casinos in Palmdale

Or maybe closer to the gamblers, like in Anaheim.

[maxsolomon]

4. Fun dayn moyl zu Got's oyem, Pete

I'd settle for getting light rail built without incessant interference from Republikkks.

[Yeehah]

5. Kid's gonna do a great job in a VERY important cabinet position

The USA is so far behind in mass transportation. Thanks in large part to the oil and auto industries and corrupt politicians.

[XanaDUer2]

7. Me too

[Baclava]

8. Nobody will ride choo choos, this isnt Japan, how's that Cali bullet train coming along?

[eissa]

11. If you build it, they will come

It’s ridiculous that we lag so behind in public transportation compared to other industrialized nations. Our two options shouldn’t just be cars or pricey air travel.

[Baclava]

14. You need new long straight tracks for bullet trains, u cant get easement rights around big cities

People dont want to take trains long distances when they can fly faster, no future in passenger trains in the US, there just isnt.

We are a car culture to begin with, muh freedoms

[Polybius]

15. If the option was there, I'd take a high-speed train over a plane

I don't fly. Would love to visit Cali from NY one day.

[Baclava]

18. Economics 101, how many seats will sell for a 1000mi trip from Omaha to Salt Lake City?

[Mosby]

19. You have to be sensible about it.

Connecting Phoenix, San Diego, LA, SF, Las Vegas makes sense.

http://www.railpac.org/2013/05/23/why-californianevada-and-arizona-are-the-best-places-for-high-speed-rail/

[Baclava]

24. U can fit 10 EU COUNTRIES inside Texas, we arent a densely populated COUNTRY, who is paying for it?

[Quixote1818]

31. This high speed rail in Texas is privately funded

https://www.hsrail.org/texas?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmfmABhCHARIsACwPRAAnm08IjN4K-vNdzb17Jsnx7aYiNohHK08Q57wgVAGEkJpmuILVnK4aAlEnEALw_wcB

[EndlessWire]

43. I'm sorry

but, haven't you heard? You are seceding from the U.S! It's not our problem. Maybe Mexico will pay for it!

[lunatica]

25. Well since you have to pay for fuel, restaurants, motels or hotels

and wear and tear on your car if you travel across the country maybe getting there by high speed rail would be very attractive.

It would be the only way I would consider traveling cross country. It actually makes me want to travel again. I’m in my 70s, single and have mobility issues.

[Baclava]

29. I know! Covid-free trains for The Vaccinated! Covid-free Flight/Hotel/Casinos for The Vaccinated!

This could be a thing, just looking ahead, lol

[lunatica]

32. Do you think 2020 COVID is forever?

That we’ll have to wear masks and socially distance for decades?

[Baclava]

34. With the idiots refusing to get vaccinated? Yes, Covid will be here for a decade. Mask up!

States vary but nationally 10% have had first dose of vaccine

[lunatica]

35. That's good to know.

[tinrobot]

46. Zero seats. We have no plans to build HSR for such distances.

To suggest that we would is simply setting up a strawman.

The reality is that high speed rail will be more of a regional thing. It will cover distances measuring in hundreds, not thousands of miles. HSR slots into the gap where the airline flights are less than an hour or so. Routes such as Dallas to Austin, Miami to Orlando, and between the many cities in the Northeast. Those distances are too far to drive quickly and too short to fly efficiently. In those cases, trains will be faster, cheaper, and way more efficient.

[grantcart]

60. You also need much greater population density with Regular high volume daily commute

The SFO/LAX route never had anything near the volume which would be more expensive and take longer than the many air shuttles

I am a big fan of rail but these plans are simply diverting public funds out of the inner city where better service is needed.

[Trailrider1951]

16. Well, I can't speak about California bullet trains, other to say that every time I have taken a trip

On Amtrak's Coast Starlight train from Seattle to Los Angeles and back again, it has been sold out every time, months in advance in the summer. Until the pandemic hit, Amtrak's annual ridership was around 30+ million people:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak#/media/File:Annual_Amtrak_Ridership_Graph_thru_FY2012.svg

And as for commuter trains, the trains I rode to work every week day were packed to the gills, standing room only. Many, many people in this country ride trains every day, and find them a pleasant alternative to driving or flying. Just because you do not ride the train, do not assume that they run empty, because they DON'T.

[Quixote1818]

21. Close to 10% of the population is afraid to fly and 25% have some form of anxiety when flying

That is a pretty large portion of the population that might consider trains if they were faster. Close to 100 million people.

[Baclava]

22. Conventional tracks will not hold bullet trains, and commuter rail track doesnt even come close

You need a whole new giant infrastructure for bullet trains, insanely expensive to buy property rights in big urban areas

[Quixote1818]

33. The CA trains will be able to use regular tracks in cities

Same as many European bullet trains.


Snip: The Texas Central line will be a stand-alone system based on the Japanese model. That means that the trains will always operate on dedicated high-speed lines.

By contrast, European high-speed trains—which are the basis for U.S. safety regulations—also run on conventional tracks shared with freight trains. This is the model used by California in its high-speed rail project.

The flexibility to switch between high-speed and conventional tracks makes it possible for the trains to serve cities well beyond the high-speed line. For safety reasons, though, they’re heavier than Japanese trains.

[Baclava]

36. Dont get me wrong, I love trains, but country was built for long haul freight when land was cheap

You might find areas it could work for shorter distances, but at what cost?

[Quixote1818]

40. There is no doubt it's a different animal in the US than Europe, China etc.

Us being the leader in high speed rail probably won't happen for 75 years. I do think we need put some money into it in the most dense areas like between Miami and Orlando, Dallas and Houston, Chicago and NY, Boston to Washington D.C. etc. I wish they would allow gamboling on trains. I think that would help pay for them.

[marlakay]

54. I have been on Amtrak many times both in WA and in CA & Nevada

I loved every bit of it. Talking to people in the dining car, being able to relax, read, walk around.

[tinrobot]

27. Coming along a lot faster with Biden in office, that's for sure.

HSR will connect the coasts to the middle of the state in a way that air travel or freeways could never do. It's going to be very popular once it is complete.

[WarGamer]

48. You're 100% correct.

It's a boondoggle.

[Arazi]

51. Ahem! The Jewish space laser just cleared the forest for the CA high speed train!!11!

[BootinUp]

12. This was great and if you let the videos roll

You’ll see more in depth discussion of transportation history and then a very nice interview with senator Warnock!

[peggysue2]

13. I'm with you, Secretary Buttigieg!

Biden and Buttigieg are perfectly matched on their enthusiasm for trains and high-speed rail. The United States is behind the curve on rail infrastructure, so it's really good to see the focus on the subject.

Personally? When I was living in the Mid-Atlantic, I always preferred the train over driving my car to DC or NYC. So much easier and no parking hassles. Spent ten years using the commuter train back and forth and travelled by rail exclusively when I was in college.

A definite !

[Initech]

20. Hell yes!!

[mitch96]

23. The people of Florida have approved high speed rail TWICE.. The repuke gubment has dragged

it's feet doing no bid "feasibility" studies and the whole thing fell by the wayside under Scott..
To me it's a no brainer... Bullet train from Miami to Orlando, bullet from Orlando to Miami.. Miami/Orlando/Tampa? Bullet from Orlando to Daytona to Jax.. Makes too much sense.. YMMV
m

[Baclava]

26. Same problem Cali is facing, would have been hideously expensive to buy easement rights to build

Taxpayers in the rest of the state would be paying for it, Miami Dade Broward counties had population numbers to push to build

[mitch96]

37. "hideously expensive to buy easement rights to build". I was curious about putting an above

ground HS rail system between the north/south, east/west roadways using the median strip. . Very wide and if above ground pylons with tracks/hyperlink tubes were used it might be a easier way to do it. Make the pylons off site for efficiency, dig a hole, plop the pylon in and go to the next one.. I know....not that easy but you catch my drift...
YMMV
m

[Baclava]

38. Maybe, I dont know, personally I am holding out for the FLYING CARS Popular Mechanics promised me!

"One in every driveway by 1970" they said

[mitch96]

39. I don't know about Pop Sci flying cars but I can see people sized drones for short hops..

[Baclava]

41. Yes! Trains are so 1850's, lol, flying drone cars that fly themselves! almost here!

That's hot

[mitch96]

42. Yup, checks all the boxes for me... nt

[electric_blue68]

53. Dayummm! Sweet! Still not sure it's such a good idea 🤔

With some idiot drivers on the ground often causing crashes...
Imagine air car crashes falling to the ground. 😳
sigh.

Maybe only limited routes. Idk.

[blugbox]

57. To avoid everyone being required to get a pilot's license

These would have programmed flight paths after you give it a destination. You wouldn't be in control during flight.

Also, they would travel at low enough speeds that a parachute system is actually feasible.

Not all hope is lost! There may be a flying drone car future yet!

[electric_blue68]

58. 🤔 ok... that sounds pretty good. 👍

[BSdetect]

28. Might be better to invest in electric aircraft. Potentially a huge growth area.

[Demsrule86]

30. Me too Secretary Pete!

[newdayneeded]

44. BOONDOGGLE!!11!1!1

thats all the right wing assholes say. why? cuz that's what Limbaugh tells them to say. Totally brainwashed against change.

It would be awesome to lead the world in this!!

[EX500rider]

56. Unfortunately California's experience with HiSpeedRail isn't helping disprove that. nt

[lindysalsagal]

45. Um, well, they're little volcanic islands in the far east

And we missed it. They're way smarter than us. And there's saki.

[Ron Green]

49. As long as gas is cheap and developers are still building like it's 1970,

we will continue the car-based culture in this country.

[DeminPennswoods]

50. Me, too!

I love train travel.

[GulfCoast66]

55. I'm ambivalent on this. I've been on high speed trains all over Europe and some of China.

It’s like nothing we have. Buts it’s a huge investment. And in Europe and and China as planes get more efficient and affordable more and more of them are flying. And we are bigger than Europe. While I like doing the trains since it is a kind of entertainment since I can’t do it here, there have been times I have flown because of convenience. 2 years ago a train trip from Venice to Munich would have been 12 hours. I flew in less than 2 hours for less than $120. That does not argue for train travel.

I’m not sure it’s a good investment.

I’d love to get DFW’s opinion. He lives in Europe and travels almost daily. Normally by air if I recollect correctly.

[grantcart]

61. We don't have the population density to overcome the enormous capital costs.

[GulfCoast66]

63. That my feeling as well.

[Vivienne235729]

62. YES PLEASE!!! We are long overdue for a systems upgrade.