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| Re: High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail (1153048) | |||
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Re: High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail |
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Posted by AEM-7AC #901 on Wed Apr 25 22:58:57 2012, in response to Re: High Speed Rail vs Really Fast Regional Rail, posted by Henry R32 #3730 on Wed Apr 25 22:22:15 2012. HSR isn't going to change that equation.I have to agree. In contrast, the difference that I see with HSR versus air travel is that the flexibility of the railway network combined with high speed makes it far easier to use for day trips. Reducing the travel time to a comfortable two to three hour range reduces the opportunity costs of doing said trips whether it be for buisness or pleasure, and combined with viable fares, will drive short-haul trips out of the market and re-allocate said air space for the longer flights that are best handled by air-travel. Admittedly, I've cut the so-called check in time for travel by showing up to the airport late, but it's not something that one can get away with all the time, and it's something that I've yet to experience on NEC services. I've run onto the Acela like a maniac with McDonalds in hand at Union Station with only a minute to spare... Or if they really want to sell out trains, use $CHINABUS_RATE * 2 (local) or * 4 (express) for deciding fares. IIRC, doesn't Amtrak Regional and Acela service have high utilization and near operational profit? If you want the cheap fares that you're talking about, either the subsidy for Amtrak has to increase, or their operating costs need to come down... IIRC, Amtrak is somewhat expensive compared to ICE, and the TGV is downright cheap in comparison... |
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