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| Re: High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail (1152933) | |||
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Re: High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail |
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Posted by WillD on Wed Apr 25 00:27:02 2012, in response to High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail, posted by NIMBYkiller on Tue Apr 24 18:19:55 2012. It seems to me that when it comes to intercity rail in this country, we are trying to run before we can walk,Why? Pursuing an extensive regional rail system will only be a money sink which ensures we drown in operating deficits before ever getting a chance to build a true high speed rail line that would stand to turn a profit. If you want utility at the local level then do so in a manner that reflects their sprawling, suburban character and build park and ride stations for local trains to service. Rental car franchises at those stations can expand the catchment area to encompass the whole suburban area. What is to say that somewhere like South Bend would be bypassed by a high speed rail line between Chicago and NYC? They can always operate local trains, and South Bend would be a logical point to transfer to the South Shore. It's exactly how the NEC is and it works pretty well. Except the NEC doesn't work. A 71mph average speed is *not* high speed rail in any respect. At best it is exactly what you're asking for, and the failure of the NEC to shut out parallel airline traffic points to how much of a failure this model is. So many of the city pairs on these HSR plans have existing ROWs between them that are arrow straight for huge sections. ...and Freight trains. Which aren't going anywhere. The freight railroads want nothing to do with trying to run around fast passenger trains. Finally, nobody is stupid enough to buy FRA Tier II junk. The cost to build a ROW to support 150mph operation is around 80% the cost for a 220mph ROW, but the higher speed will enable lower travel times which will have a disproportionate impact on the market share the line garners. For a small increase in capital cost you get an quantum leap in performance and utility while avoiding the multiton pieces of crap the FRA requires. |
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