America and High Speed Rail

[TheKey]

This country simply has way too much space to make high speed rail viable. There could be micro-solutions (like improved service between Ft. Worth and Dallas) but I do not see it ever replacing other forms of transportation. Another obstacle is that we don't have local public transportation built out. When you get to the train station where you are going, then what? In Europe you can typically just hop on the metro. It just doesnt work in an area that isnt densely populated

 

[csirl]

This country simply has way too much space to make high speed rail viable. There could be micro-solutions (like improved service between Ft. Worth and Dallas) but I do not see it ever replacing other forms of transportation. Another obstacle is that we don't have local public transportation built out. When you get to the train station where you are going, then what? In Europe you can typically just hop on the metro. It just doesnt work in an area that isnt densely populated

I think it would work well down the east coast from Boston to DC. Going city centre to city centre by high speed train would be a lot quicker and easier than flying or driving.

 

[csirl]

.

Last time i was on a long train ride inside the US i went from NYC to Orlando FL using Amtrak. It was a terrible experience. Every stop Amtrak police got on the train and walked up and down the isles carrying automatic weapons and a dog as if every person on board was a convicted felon. They did this because of the terrorism era, but this is no way to have comfortable travel. Amtrak seems to love to show force even if it's not needed and outdated. When your on a plane no one walks up and down the isles with any kind of weapon or animal and if they did everyone would complain. In Europe i was on high speed rail and never saw anyone with a automatic weapon making travelers feel uneasy.

+1.

Automatic weapons on a train is over kill.

In some places in Europe even the regular police are unarmed.

 

[Seven]

There is a 3 million dollar infrastructure bill that Biden will try to pass. I doubt there is anything of use in it

Try Trillion.......

 

[CouchCoach]

I travelled for many years, first by car and then through the air and I disliked the inconvenience and treatment of air travel.

Whenever I would schedule a trip to the Northeast, I always made sure I booked a trip between NYC-PHL on the Metroliner and looked forward to that every time. Made it in the late afternoon and sipped cocktails in the club car as I watched the countryside roll by and the service was always friendly and first rate.

My best bud lives in PA and we're planning a post pandemic trip across Canada by train. He's a fearful flier so making it by train looks to be a winner.

 

[CouchCoach]

US is too spread out for efficient high speed rail, same reason our internet sucks. We're supposed to get one between Dallas and Houston, though.

That's been talked about for years. They need one between Dallas and San Antonio and get some relief on I 35.

Vonlane, a luxury bus line between Austin and Dallas has shown that people who frequently travel the I 35 corridor are open to alternative modes of travel. My cousin in Dallas uses this mode all the time. I am surprised the guy that started it doesn't make the DFW to Winstar, Choctaw and Bossier City run. he could pack them in.

 

[TheKey]

I think it would work well down the east coast from Boston to DC. Going city centre to city centre by high speed train would be a lot quicker and easier than flying or driving.

I think they already have those routes, though. The high speed option might be new but I am not sure it's that big of an improvement to make it worth the cost.

The other thing we have to realize with all of these new proposed routes (Like from DFW to HOU) is that it takes a huge imminent domain effort to make it work. Large scale seizure of private land to build a railroad few will take.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Cash for clunkers was an interesting program. It removed a lot of cheap, affordable, old style cars from the market. They have regulated advances in diesel engines, which were getting very high mileage, and forcing a push to electric vehicles. The move to go green is going to be using a huge amount of electricity and battery materials, and is not that green.

I believe there is a whole bunch of funding in that infrastructure bill for battery related and electric vehicle funding.

There has been testing of flying drone taxis all over the world, and some of those are A.I. driven. Which is going to be a cool form of transportation.

It makes you wonder about the 5g towers, and the speed at which they are going up. Maybe, the signal is required for these technologies.

Also made second hand cars almost impossible to afford for young drivers or first time buyers who can't afford new. Created a lot of credit problems as well because many of those who did qualify went out and bought new but, they couldn't afford the payment so you saw a lot of credit problems. Not a good thing any way you slice it IMO.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

As slow as those Amtrak trains are compared to others in the world, I hear they do have some things going for them. I've heard they're very comfortable trains to ride in, and you can even get a sleep car that's affordable. I've considered doing an Amtrak trip around the country at some point. Would be a good way to see a lot of the country.

 

[csirl]

I think they already have those routes, though. The high speed option might be new but I am not sure it's that big of an improvement to make it worth the cost.

The other thing we have to realize with all of these new proposed routes (Like from DFW to HOU) is that it takes a huge imminent domain effort to make it work. Large scale seizure of private land to build a railroad few will take.

Yes, the land acquisition is sometimes more difficult and costly to the constructiion.

 

[triplets_93]

I'd like to see HS rail between DFW and Houston, and then connecting rail service to Galveston Island. Many decades ago, there used to be passenger rail service to Galveston Island.

Also, there used to be passenger rail service between DFW and Denver, CO, before Amtrak took over. I'd rather go by train to Denver and then connect to the Ski Train to Winter Park...


High-Speed Rail between Dallas and Fort Worth being studied

https://www.nctcog.org/trans/plan/t...w-high-speed-transportation-connections-study

The North Central Texas Council of Governments are accepting public input on the implementation of high-speed transportation between Dallas and Fort Worth. The DFW High-Speed Transportation Connections Study is evaluating transportation alternatives to modernize and and enhance mobility in the region.

The study is being conducted in two phases over 36 months. The first phase is expected to be complete in June 2021, includes the development and evaluation of potential technologies and alignments.

Public meetings are planned for May 2021.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I've worked in Regional Transportation Planning (now in urban planning) and the land use logistics of trying to run track across local, regional, and state jurisdictions is nearly impossible.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

If they had an Omaha to Des Moines route, I would use it. However, these two cities don't have huge populations like some other cities, so I have my doubts they would build one.

 

[Bizwah]

I love the idea of this. Unfortunately, I don't see it catching on any time soon.

My wife and I used to take our kids to DisneyWorld in FL all the time. We hated the thought of driving the 20+ hours it would take to get there when our kids were younger. We flew every time....but I wound up hating airlines. I would have loved to hop on the train, and watched the country go by on HSR.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I love the idea of this. Unfortunately, I don't see it catching on any time soon.

My wife and I used to take our kids to DisneyWorld in FL all the time. We hated the thought of driving the 20+ hours it would take to get there when our kids were younger. We flew every time....but I wound up hating airlines. I would have loved to hop on the train, and watched the country go by on HSR.

I'm the same way. I've started to really hate being crammed in a tiny seat on a plane. Sometimes I splurge and buy a first class ticket, but I can't afford to do that every time.

 

[triplets_93]

Here's is an AMTRAK Map from 1971, when it began, 50 Years ago.

Here's the Amtrak video I got it from:

 

[Hoofbite]

US is too spread out for efficient high speed rail, same reason our internet sucks. We're supposed to get one between Dallas and Houston, though.

I don't necessarily think so. Same area as China.

 

[Hoofbite]

Actually rode on #15 on the Paris-to-Brussels route. Pretty awesome.

The big thing with trains that I don't like is all the stops. This train didn't stop many times, but I've been in some cities where the trams stop all the time and it just completely sucks. TRAX in SLC had quite a few stops on the route I would ride. Didn't care for all of them.

 

[Sarek]

Looks like a deal was reached in Texas for Dallas to Houston bullet train. 1.6 Billion so far, I’m guessing it will cost more when all said and done.

 

[triplets_93]

Amtrak's History