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As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

thetransportpolitic.com

1–10 of 171 posts

Re: As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

#5
High speed rail is a non-starter in the US, except for in certain regions.

It's 2000 miles from Chicago to LA. Optimistically, if you had a train that averaged 200 miles an hour, it would still take 10 hours. That's just not competitive.

Re: As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

#6

The article might focus on the US but Canada shouldn't be overlooked for its own neglect of high-speed rail. The Toronto-Montreal corridor is a clear candidate for such a service which has been promised onwards of decades now.

Currently, Toronto-Montreal isn't even bring considered for high speed rail. If anything, the Toronto-London corridor is what's being evaluated.

Re: As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

#8
post #5

High speed rail is a non-starter in the US, except for in certain regions. It's 2000 miles from Chicago to LA. Optimistically, if you had a train that averaged 200 miles an hour, it would still take 10 hours. That's just not competitive.

Because people only ever fly cross country. Also ignore the carbon footprint. Also ignore the time to and from airports.

Re: As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

#9

The article might focus on the US but Canada shouldn't be overlooked for its own neglect of high-speed rail. The Toronto-Montreal corridor is a clear candidate for such a service which has been promised onwards of decades now.

Canada's size, terrain, and population density make it a special case. Ottawa-toronto might work, but vancouver-calgary would be insanely expensive if even possible. Linking across the country ... we might as well not bother charging for tickets and just call it a government project never intended to break even.

And in the north, spaceX rockets might be cheaper.

Re: As the U.S. fantasizes, the rest of the world builds new transport system (2017)

#10
post #5

High speed rail is a non-starter in the US, except for in certain regions. It's 2000 miles from Chicago to LA. Optimistically, if you had a train that averaged 200 miles an hour, it would still take 10 hours. That's just not competitive.

So make it regional. There’s no high speed rail from Paris to Moscow either.
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