Democratic Primaries

brooklynite

(96,882 posts)

8. As a transportation professional, let me throw some water on this...

Wed Dec 4, 2019, 11:32 PM

Dec 2019

It sounds great and we definitely should.....but we won't.

As far as intercity rail, Amtrak only owns the tracks between Boston and Washington. Every long distance train operates on tracks of a private railroad, which gives priority to freight services. So the only way you can expand and speed up long distance service is to nationalize the private companies (which definitely won't happen) or force them to accept more passenger trains through legislation (which likely wouldn't be Constitutional).

As far as high speed rail, to get the kind of system they have in Europe and Asia, you have to establish a completely new right of way with banks and curves designed for 300 mph trains. That means acquiring private property all along the route -- eminent domain is incredible expensive and time consuming. When you get to the citifies, it's even worse; you'll need to tunnel, which adds to the cost.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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Highlight:

Biden: We Will Spark the Second Great Railroad Revolution (tweet with ad) [View all] highplainsdem Dec 2019 OP

The responses will be predictable. TwilightZone Dec 2019 #1

Many will understand. Biden's reaching out to the rational electorate, not the Biden bashers. highplainsdem Dec 2019 #6

better 'public' rail transportation is great. pangaia Dec 2019 #67

We need high speed rail to make it an attractive option TheRealNorth Dec 2019 #79

Biden should fire his communications manager Sanity Claws Dec 2019 #2

Why? George II Dec 2019 #3

You might want to actually watch the video. TwilightZone Dec 2019 #4

Then it is a misleading headline if you are correct. JoeOtterbein Dec 2019 #9

No it's not. George II Dec 2019 #16

No. TwilightZone Dec 2019 #25

This isn't Politico. The headline goes with the op. NT TidalWave46 Dec 2019 #48

Hanging your hat on literalism is on you... no one else. LanternWaste Dec 2019 #50

+1 myohmy2 Dec 2019 #84

Lol. Wat? Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2019 #5

Watch the video. George II Dec 2019 #18

See reply 21. Also this article: highplainsdem Dec 2019 #27

What is it that is confusing you? NT TidalWave46 Dec 2019 #49

I ask the same when I see Bernie's downward spiral in the poll. LanternWaste Dec 2019 #51

Or maybe horses in our large cities instead of cars? JoeOtterbein Dec 2019 #7

Ride trains instead of driving all those cars. Cha Dec 2019 #12

Horses can take us where a train, or car, cannot in the city and elsewhere. JoeOtterbein Dec 2019 #14

Then ride your horse. Cha Dec 2019 #19

Bernie's for high speed rail BannonsLiver Dec 2019 #29

Asses and mules can do the same. And cheaper. You should get on an ass. LanternWaste Dec 2019 #54

Wow, Joe, you'd better tell Bernie he's wrong about high speed rail. Tweet from him: highplainsdem Dec 2019 #21

Oops! peggysue2 Dec 2019 #40

In Japan they have rail everywhere. Biden should have used the word "rail". applegrove Dec 2019 #30

Perhaps you prefer heating American homes with wood stoves? The Valley Below Dec 2019 #33

When lacking anything substantial, you unfailingly go to the reductio ad absurdum fallacy. LanternWaste Dec 2019 #53

As a transportation professional, let me throw some water on this... brooklynite Dec 2019 #8

+1 nt JoeOtterbein Dec 2019 #10

How do they get stuff done in Europe that we can't? Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2019 #13

Because we stink BeyondGeography Dec 2019 #17

So what your saying is the green new deal is bullshit? That has trains as well. Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #36

They put people before money. Lancero Dec 2019 #20

A stronger central government, weaker property laws and a less litigious population brooklynite Dec 2019 #24

That's the good old fashioned American determination and grit that got our boys to the moon. BannonsLiver Dec 2019 #26

As sorry as I am to have to say it. Thank you... pangaia Dec 2019 #32

It's doable. honest.abe Dec 2019 #38

...and the Purple Line has been in planning since I worked on it in 1988..... brooklynite Dec 2019 #73

My wife is a design engineer on the project now and the abandoned rail line is just a part of it. honest.abe Dec 2019 #77

Now, scale up from a 16 mile transit line to... brooklynite Dec 2019 #80

Of course those will be much more complicated & expensive and likely wont get built in our lifetimes honest.abe Dec 2019 #81

There are also tunneling proposals out there -- eg Elon Musk's Loop honest.abe Dec 2019 #44

I've worked on one of Musk's proposals and I've been briefed on another... brooklynite Dec 2019 #76

Yeah its a bit far fetched and will be incredibly expensive but its possible. honest.abe Dec 2019 #78

In Florida's case a private company (FEC) is the one building the line. Scurrilous Dec 2019 #71

Intercity, yes. High speed, no. brooklynite Dec 2019 #75

Sounds like the ultimate worthy goal! Cha Dec 2019 #11

LOL@the mockers! Joe Biden Train Rider.. Cha Dec 2019 #15

Joe is energized. He'll get it done. oasis Dec 2019 #22

Joe is mabe energized but who is going to force pangaia Dec 2019 #34

We have thousands of miles of unused rail that could be turned into a railroad system. Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #37

"you all just say this because it is Biden's idea." How DARE you say that to me... pangaia Dec 2019 #64

The fact is that many here put down any ideas that Biden has and in this case it is part of the Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #68

"The fact is that many here put down any ideas that Biden has..." pangaia Dec 2019 #82

Please note I say 'you all' ...not directed at you in particular...but will update. Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #69

Thank you for updating.. but if you think about it,, pangaia Dec 2019 #83

I see what you thought...I had no idea why you were so upset...sorry. It was not my intention to Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #85

all is good... pangaia Dec 2019 #86

Plenty of room for improvement regardless BannonsLiver Dec 2019 #39

how did the other countries do it? treestar Dec 2019 #60

"how did the other countries do it?' Several answers are scattered throughout this thread... pangaia Dec 2019 #65

Gee it's too bad we are so unable treestar Dec 2019 #66

I got jokes... Iggo Dec 2019 #23

Hhahahaaaaa! +1 JoeOtterbein Dec 2019 #28

Have you got jokes about the Green New Deal, too, and those plans for our rail system? highplainsdem Dec 2019 #31

And that right there is why. Iggo Dec 2019 #46

I watched the video and what he's talking about is combining three plans underthematrix Dec 2019 #35

He should have used the term rail instead of railroad but.. honest.abe Dec 2019 #41

Nah, I think more than anything, it reminds people that he is "Amtrak Joe", which is a strength. phleshdef Dec 2019 #43

He used rail and light rail. He did not use underthematrix Dec 2019 #56

I was basing my comment on the title of the post. honest.abe Dec 2019 #57

Not to nitpick but his tweet used the term "railroad". honest.abe Dec 2019 #61

Nitpicking is good. underthematrix Dec 2019 #62

Yes, I get that. Agreed. honest.abe Dec 2019 #63

New railroad station under construction in downtown Miami. Scurrilous Dec 2019 #42

And the Purple Line under construction in Maryland looks cool too! honest.abe Dec 2019 #45

Nice! Scurrilous Dec 2019 #70

I love the trains, if we had updated trains more people would love them too. katmondoo Dec 2019 #47

It really is a bit shocking.... TidalWave46 Dec 2019 #52

Sometimes I think people truly do not want to win the Presidency Peacetrain Dec 2019 #55

Some put way more importance in the primary and their chosen candidate than they should... Demsrule86 Dec 2019 #74

Biden understands not only Global Warming, but Peak Oil as well LongtimeAZDem Dec 2019 #58

And he's already got a station named after him! treestar Dec 2019 #59

I've been saying this for years. Act_of_Reparation Dec 2019 #72