General Discussion

underahedgerow

(1,232 posts)

54. Well, it's not really a 'could just' proposition. Mapping, land acquisition, geological flaws,

Wed Jun 29, 2016, 07:49 AM

Jun 2016

faults; protected lands, such as where endangered species are; inhabited lands; not to mention the actual construction. The preparation could take at least 10 years, before 1 shovel hits the dirt.

It's taken almost 25 years to build just 100 kilometers of tunnel through the Swiss Alps, and that's just rock boring at a rate of just 40 meters a day. There was little in terms of right of way, administration and property rights to deal with, no towns or traffic to disrupt, etc.

Believe me, I love the idea of high speed transit, but I think in terms of connecting urban areas that we may have to look up sometimes, not down. I like the idea of a transit tube aligned with the freeways. I think Japan does this, elevated high speed rails. WAY easier than boring and far less in terms of footprint, in the case of California. Or it could be a combination of both....

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California Hits the Brakes on High-Speed Rail Fiasco [View all] Purveyor Jun 2016 OP

As a Californian, I think that it's time to pull the plug on this boondogle n/t taught_me_patience Jun 2016 #1

We do need to have transportation other than air between the major cities. haele Jun 2016 #2

What about a tunnel? AngryAmish Jun 2016 #13

Earthquakes. nt tblue37 Jun 2016 #41

No we don't Sen. Walter Sobchak Jun 2016 #14

No, we need better transit on routes people use most frequently. LeftyMom Jun 2016 #35

I'd be so happy to have a train XemaSab Jun 2016 #70

We don't even have a transit link from downtown Sac to the airport! LeftyMom Jun 2016 #110

The people who organized the initiative shouldn't have lied to the voters ripcord Jun 2016 #65

I know. Other countries get to have high speed travel throughout, but we're too pathetic to have it. highprincipleswork Jun 2016 #44

We have high-speed travel anoNY42 Jun 2016 #51

Air travel is time consuming, expensive and impractical adigal Jun 2016 #56

But it is less time-consuming anoNY42 Jun 2016 #62

Like I say, we're idiots who don't deserve the kind of pleasures other developed countries have. highprincipleswork Jun 2016 #68

It depends on the distances involved. Let's look at a trip from LA to NYC. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #73

A day and a half??? LA to San Francisco is 381 miles. adigal Jun 2016 #106

I believe you misread my post. I was speaking of a trip from LA to New York City. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #111

Yeah, but if you can't drive 55... 6chars Jun 2016 #119

Yeah, it does depend on the distances involved. HughBeaumont Jun 2016 #112

You could always take the train from Cleveland to DC. It only takes 11 hours. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #116

Because other countries have government oversight and accountability. Initech Jun 2016 #80

I voted against it. Upgrade/expand local public transit instead. Auggie Jun 2016 #53

Yeah I agree, kill it. Initech Jun 2016 #77

Just as with the interstate highway system, the Feds will have to do this for the public good brush Jun 2016 #81

Kill it, already. Throd Jun 2016 #3

As a Californian, I think we should build it faster Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #4

You sure about that? Throd Jun 2016 #6

High speed rail in other countries is all I said about it. Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #8

It's a simple math equation that doesn't pencil out. Throd Jun 2016 #11

What is odd about ending a low efficiency high energy, pollution heavy, space using Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #17

Private automobiles cause global warming... Herman4747 Jun 2016 #63

It isn't high speed rail ripcord Jun 2016 #12

Why does high speed rail work every where but the US? liberal N proud Jun 2016 #5

My guess is magic gratuitous Jun 2016 #7

"111 similar systems around the world and found only three that cover their operating cost." cherokeeprogressive Jun 2016 #9

How does the interstate equation work out? seabeckind Jun 2016 #60

It doesn't. It works in very dense places like Western Europe, Japan, and coastal China Recursion Jun 2016 #10

Because oil addicted interest in the US are trying to kill it. Firebrand Gary Jun 2016 #38

And that is the answer! liberal N proud Jun 2016 #45

I would love to have High Speed Rail... RME_SFC Jun 2016 #102

We need something that challenges domestic air travel. liberal N proud Jun 2016 #109

Depending on Cost/time ratio RME_SFC Jun 2016 #113

If you use Eur pope as an example, Time/Cost is equivalent to Air liberal N proud Jun 2016 #118

Is this the one that Florida.... Fla_Democrat Jun 2016 #15

Yes. Igel Jun 2016 #23

It actually makes a lot more sense for Florida. LeftyMom Jun 2016 #36

Florida is flat, that is true anoNY42 Jun 2016 #52

I would think between Orlando and Miami with some selective stops sure would. seabeckind Jun 2016 #61

I just don't see anoNY42 Jun 2016 #64

Talking from a functional requirement standpoint. seabeckind Jun 2016 #66

Miami-Orlando proposed 25+ yrs ago, but dropped. Would have dog-legged to Tampa. Eleanors38 Jun 2016 #79

Orlando to Tampa HSR was one of the stupidest ideas ever. Nye Bevan Jun 2016 #74

If California wanted to build bullet trains between LA and SF and their respective suburbs Sen. Walter Sobchak Jun 2016 #16

What if they just built a tunnel between LA and San Francisco? AngryAmish Jun 2016 #21

The world's longest train tunnel is the Gotthard tunnel in Switzerland. It's 35 miles long. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #22

Geological issues. Such as that teeny tiny San Andres fault thing, and the many oil fields underahedgerow Jun 2016 #39

They have tunnels in Iran and they have both earthquakes and oil fields. AngryAmish Jun 2016 #43

Well, it's not really a 'could just' proposition. Mapping, land acquisition, geological flaws, underahedgerow Jun 2016 #54

Maglev goes 400mph Major Nikon Jun 2016 #24

I take it you haven't seen the route Sen. Walter Sobchak Jun 2016 #25

What it ultimately will or might have done isn't the same as what it could do Major Nikon Jun 2016 #31

How about the Hyperloop? It's looking very, very cool. underahedgerow Jun 2016 #40

Intelligent countries all over the world have high speed rail... TheProgressive Jun 2016 #18

And so do we, in the corridor where it makes sense to have it Recursion Jun 2016 #27

Chicago To St. Louis To New Orleans Too ProfessorGAC Jun 2016 #57

That's an interesting idea, but I think it's too sparse to be self-sustaining Recursion Jun 2016 #58

Business Travel Between Houston and Chicago is Quite High ProfessorGAC Jun 2016 #82

The rail that runs from Boston to DC isn't exactly "high speed" NewJeffCT Jun 2016 #121

We need to think about optimizing our freeways for driverless cars MindPilot Jun 2016 #19

We can call them "Trains"! seabeckind Jun 2016 #59

As usual, we dither while Rome burns. We should have built it years ago. People who are fighting vanlassie Jun 2016 #20

maybe we can't do big things anymore. Good thing the Hoover Dam is already built. TeamPooka Jun 2016 #26

Could you imagine having to write the environmental impact assessment on the Hoover Dam? Recursion Jun 2016 #29

The money could be better spent bhikkhu Jun 2016 #28

We are spending over $1 Trillion on the F-35 Lightning II fighter/bomber KeepItReal Jun 2016 #32

Up to Gov Brown and the legislature. 1939 Jun 2016 #49

We desperately need a high speed train between LA and SF. SunSeeker Jun 2016 #30

It is horrid and long drive but this project isnt working out. Too many moving parts Liberal_in_LA Jun 2016 #33

Seems to be working out to me. It survived it's biggest challenge in the courtroom. SunSeeker Jun 2016 #34

The train's still going to take hours and go through smelly valley towns. LeftyMom Jun 2016 #37

The towns aren't smelly, it's the CAFOs stacked up along the 5 FWY. SunSeeker Jun 2016 #42

I just checked the airfare on Southwest from LA to SF. $69 each way. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #46

Well that totally destroyed his entire argument seabeckind Jun 2016 #50

Just providing correct information. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #71

Ahh, you get a coupon. seabeckind Jun 2016 #84

On the whole, it certainly does make up for the bad stuff, yes. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #88

How about more than 4? seabeckind Jun 2016 #97

Here's the list: Just reading posts Jun 2016 #99

You're a real fan of absurd arguments, aren't you? seabeckind Jun 2016 #108

You brought up venues that weren't being served by a multitude of airports. Fargo certainly Just reading posts Jun 2016 #115

Right now on Southwest.com: 1-way LAX to SFO depart 6/30/16 = $161 SunSeeker Jun 2016 #90

Last-minute airfares always cost more. Purchase at least a few weeks in advance and the price drops Just reading posts Jun 2016 #91

That would not work for business travelers or anyone who wants flexibility.. SunSeeker Jun 2016 #94

It's always worked for me, but I almost always fly for pleasure, not business. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #96

The towns smell because the CAFOs and factories and such are the town's employers. LeftyMom Jun 2016 #114

Everyone know highways are free seabeckind Jun 2016 #47

Brockway, North Haverbrook and Ogdenville all have one Orrex Jun 2016 #48

... Javaman Jun 2016 #69

This very thread is why I love DU trumad Jun 2016 #55

There are a lot of jobs being created in the Fresno area, SalviaBlue Jun 2016 #67

The only thing I hate more than driving is flying. hunter Jun 2016 #72

What's your alternative? Just a for instance: I enjoy spending a week or two in Thailand each year. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #75

You and I live in entirely different worlds. hunter Jun 2016 #83

I can't picture North by Northwest on an airplane. seabeckind Jun 2016 #85

Not even a cropduster? mahatmakanejeeves Jun 2016 #117

The Empire Builder seabeckind Jun 2016 #120

Let's look at my trip to Thailand in your world: Just reading posts Jun 2016 #87

And you describe everything that is wrong with this world. hunter Jun 2016 #100

In this world I've mangaged to visit almost two dozen different countries in the last 30 years. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #105

Moving the goalposts a tad there. seabeckind Jun 2016 #95

The post I was replying to argued for the elimination of fossil fuels, which would certainly impact Just reading posts Jun 2016 #98

The sailing ships was your absurd argument. seabeckind Jun 2016 #103

He said no fossil fuels, not me. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #107

We can spend trillions... deathrind Jun 2016 #76

That, and it inspired Season 2 of True Detective nt geek tragedy Jun 2016 #78

Read the article a little more closely... Xolodno Jun 2016 #86

I am sure I will never get to ride one of these in my life time... yuiyoshida Jun 2016 #89

I rode a high speed train when I took the Channel Tunnel from Dover to Paris some years ago. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #92

how'd I know it'd be Vartabedian? he's said CAHSR is dead every other month MisterP Jun 2016 #93

We have low-speed rail in SoCal in the form of Amtrack and Metrolink. stopbush Jun 2016 #101

Similar things have been said for every rail system built upaloopa Jun 2016 #104