What Do You Think of Obama's Plans For High-Speed Railways?

railroad and waste

Listen folks. I know alot of you are jumping up and down that the great Obama has come up with another idea to save the world. yeah right. another junk of money going out the door that is own people in the budget department say he cannot, or I should say "we" cannot afford. The left went all balistic on Bush's debt but the Obama plan is going put this country on the verge of collapse. Do you honestly believe a nine trillion dollar debt is in the best interest of this country? If you do you really need to wake up! Where is the money going to come from? Oh in know he can just keep printing it up down in his basemant right? The idea for the rails is wonderful except for the fact we can't afford it. It is more convenient for some, if it heads in your direction! All of this talk of how it is going to help the handicap travel better is hunky dory if, again, it goes to where they live. I have flown, taken the train, and been on the bus, and survived somehow..(on the bus) and I feel for those who any travel of the sorts is a pain. But I will remind. What will they do if the train does not go where they live? Give me a great anwser and I just might listen. Something tells me though there isn't one.

Another blogger made the comment on how much is wasted on Amtrak. Amtrak cannot support itself. It just like this one will have to have help. If you think high speed train travel will work then start saving now so that by the time it is ready for you to ride you might be able to afford it.

Look Mr. Bush started to tick me off with stuff but the fact the Obama has given no change from one party to the next, as I count up all of the lies he told when running for office...no pork in bills, no lobbyist, no this no that..etc...and the fact that apparently he does not have one clue on how you actually have to have the money to spend on stuff really concerns me. Yes, I know I went off the subject a bit but this fantasy idea of building this rail service ties in with everything else that he plans on doing whether or not there is money for it, or he brings the country to its knees, and leaves nothing for the generations to come. Unless of course he plans on pawning the country to china like has already been done, but they are not in that great of shape either and don't trust that we can pay them back.

To sew this up. Nice idea if it was practical. By that I mean it needs more destinations to even have a chance to get enough riders to pay for it and that is unlikely, and as said before there is no money for it. If he spends on this then other things that are already here and need help on will go by the wayside.

Shawn E of ID @ May 11, 2009 00:51:19 AM

Rail Systems Are Accessible

I haven't seen anyone mention the fact that a properly built rail system allows a handicapped passenger to ride end to end without leaving their wheelchair. City busses are often accessible, but long distance busses cannot accomodate wheelchair users. Fllying is often a huge hassle for people with disabilities. In one airport the TSA made us wait while they took my son's lower leg braces somewhere to test the plastic for explosives residue! That's what they told us, anyway. As the population ages, we will have more and more people with limited mobility. Many of these same people are not able to make long car trips either. On a train you can change your position, use a restroom, get a drink, or sleep - all without slowing down the journey. I commute 5 days a week on Amtrak between central PA and Philadelphia. I get 2 hours a day of absolutely essential sleep on the train. If I drove I would average 4 hours of sleep a night. Having a dependable rail connection amkes it possible for me to live and work where I do. I support using my tax dollars to extend that option to other parts fo the country.

Susan Bianchi of PA @ Apr 24, 2009 12:41:10 PM

only green if used

We already have an underutilized uncompetitive rail system. Waste of money and carbon to build more infrastructure that won't be used because it's cheaper faster to fly or drive.

Amtrak only survives with subsidies.

Spending for steel, construction, and running empty trains is no good for my environment. Miles of fenced off right of ways for faster empty train cars, spoils habitats with noise and traffic.

forme of CT @ Apr 21, 2009 11:26:23 AM

Brill Creme

A little dab will do ya!

High speed rail, any working rail would be great, but Look at the map!!!

It's like amtrak today. It doesn't go there, where ever there is.

Salinas California is an island unto itself with ONE train north and ONE train south each day.

You have to take the bus from Salinas to get to Santa Barbara to make connections to almost any other amtrak train.

Its so much Barbara Streisand that it is disgusting.

Please fix the toilets!B

Bill Stillman of CA @ Apr 21, 2009 01:48:37 AM

wasteful

Unfortunately, as smart as high speed rail (HSR) is, when I look at the map, I see a lot of politically motivated waste. For example, HSR between Pittsburgh and Phillie? Are you for real? Pittsburgh is dying! All that money should go into the Phillie to NYC segment or elsewhere. Portland OR to Eugene or Salem or middle Oregon? That's just ridiculous, it's only a 60 mile drive and nobody will take rail and then go rent a friggin car in Eugene. LA to San Fran is absolutely essential, but two lines? This is ridiculous waste. There's no city between LA and San Fran that justifies HSR. HSR is not a stupid commuter service between big cities and small cities to compete against cars and taxi's. It's a high speed service between big cities to compete with airlines. Yeah, and if's run anything like Amtrak, you'll wait longer to board the train because of delays than it takes to get to your destination.

Ian O'Rourke of NV @ Apr 20, 2009 18:02:49 PM

High Speed Rail: absolutely

100% yes! I used to live in Ashland, Va- the "center of the Universe" the conductor would announce as the Amtrak would roll into town, and my car would be steps away, home would be less than 10 minutes. I would arrange my business trips through DC, an hour and half away; I could hop off the Amtrak and take the Metro to National Airport. You work on your laptop, use your cell, get a bite to eat, or drink a cold Heineken. All for usually half the price and half the hassle. It would be awesome in Florida where I live now; to be able to avoid the traffic in South FL!

Jim Moore of FL @ Apr 20, 2009 16:23:12 PM

High speed rail

GREAT IDEA !!!

Bill Seeley of MI @ Apr 20, 2009 14:24:31 PM

High-speed rail

High-speed, even medium-speed, rail travel beats driving because you can work while you travel and don't have the parking hassle. It beats air travel for moderate distances because it usually gets you closer to where you want to go, you avoid airport hassle, you save time at the airport with security and being required to be there long before flight. It beats bus because you can walk around some while traveling. And it's enviromentally the best.

Let's do it!

Robert Z Norman

Robert Z Norman of NH @ Apr 19, 2009 11:30:36 AM