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Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

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Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#121

Post by nasaeclipse »

gaoshan wrote: post #120

Having ridden the trains of China fairly extensively and over a long period of time I am essentially ruined for what we have in the US. The older style Chinese trains were fine and I always enjoyed the journey (and remember excitedly riding the maglev when it first opened in Shanghai) but the newer generation of high speed trains is what pushed me from "It would be so pleasant to have this system in the US" to "We ar…

Same. I lived in Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China for about 10 years, and I only came back with my wife because we want to buy a house here in the States. After that, we're going back to Japan and China.

The US is so far behind in public infrastructure (trains, pedestrian, cycling, etc) that I can't see the States being a good place NOW, much less the next fifty years.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#122

Post by SoftTalker »

gaoshan wrote: post #120

Having ridden the trains of China fairly extensively and over a long period of time I am essentially ruined for what we have in the US. The older style Chinese trains were fine and I always enjoyed the journey (and remember excitedly riding the maglev when it first opened in Shanghai) but the newer generation of high speed trains is what pushed me from "It would be so pleasant to have this system in the US" to "We ar…

China can do it because they have a command economy and the government can just take property to do what it wants.

To do this in the USA you'd have a thousand different emminent domain claims to get through, at least some of which will be contested, you'll need to pay the property owners fair market prices for the land you are taking, there will need to be environmental impact studies, planning commission approvals, fights with every interested locality over station locations and ammenities and how many trees will be cut down. China doesn't have to worry about any of that they just do it.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#123

Post by SoftTalker »

pfg_ wrote: post #59
satvikpendem wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is not really true, at least for the northeast corridor. Amtrak is the fastest way to get from DC to NYC for example due to traffic in the city if driving or taking the bus, and the distance from the airport (LGA or JFK) to the final destination in the city if you're flying. I take Amtrak somewhat begrudgingly because it often can be way more expensive than flights which are subsidized generally speaking over pa…

This only applies to sleeper car routes. You're on the traib for 2-3 days, mostly with no cell service. If you eat in the restaurant car, they will seat you with strangers. If you sit in the observation car, there's a bunch of other people sitting there too.

And creeping along for hours at 25mph because you're following a freight train is frustrating in its own way, even if you have a comfortable seat and food and drink.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#124

Post by SoftTalker »

b40d-48b2-979e wrote: post #92
CalRobert wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fairness, we don't have many profitable freeways either.

In fairness, we don't have ~~many~~ ANY profitable freeways either.

Toll roads are profitable. They are basically money-printers in fact. More/all of our expressways should be toll roads IMO. Then the people who use them will pay for them, and there will be money to keep them in good repair without needing appropriations from the general fund.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#125

Post by SoftTalker »

Loughla wrote: post #95
stockresearcher wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quincy IL, the capital of Forgottonia. Used to be a bigger city, was destroyed by politics. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgottonia

From talking to people there, it seems like Quincy itself was less destroyed by politics and more just sort of left to rot by families with "important names" in the area who are resistant to change. No idea which is accurate, that's just a consistent theme from almost every conversation when I was consulting there.

Common pattern in small-ish towns, where there is a core of older wealthy people who are stereotypical NIMBYs running everything, and who want to keep their quaint little town as it is. Problem is that forces all the young people to move away to find opportunity, and then 50 years later the town is dying.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#126

Post by HWR_14 »

nasaeclipse wrote: post #121
gaoshan wrote: post #120

Having ridden the trains of China fairly extensively and over a long period of time I am essentially ruined for what we have in the US. The older style Chinese trains were fine and I always enjoyed the journey (and remember excitedly riding the maglev when it first opened in Shanghai) but the newer generation of high speed trains is what pushed me from "It would be so pleasant to have this system in the US" to "We ar…

Same. I lived in Japan, Taiwan, and mainland China for about 10 years, and I only came back with my wife because we want to buy a house here in the States. After that, we're going back to Japan and China. The US is so far behind in public infrastructure (trains, pedestrian, cycling, etc) that I can't see the States being a good place NOW, much less the next fifty years.

Why do you want to buy a house in the United States that you never plan to live in?

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#127

Post by ghaff »

khuey wrote: post #115
ghaff wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I usually take the Regional on my own dime though last trip I got a deal on the return leg on Acela. The downside of Amtrak for me is that the Boston south suburban station is an hour drive in basically the wrong direction. But I hate hate driving into Manhattan.

Do you ever consider driving to New Haven and taking Metro North the rest of the way? IIRC it's as fast as Amtrak if you're on the Super Express train.

I have considered it. I’ve never done it. Parking used to be an issue for some of the commuter rail stations but I understand it isn’t in New Haven at this point. Also about twice as long a drive but likely more efficient overall.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#128

Post by phil21 »

SoftTalker wrote: post #122
gaoshan wrote: post #120

Having ridden the trains of China fairly extensively and over a long period of time I am essentially ruined for what we have in the US. The older style Chinese trains were fine and I always enjoyed the journey (and remember excitedly riding the maglev when it first opened in Shanghai) but the newer generation of high speed trains is what pushed me from "It would be so pleasant to have this system in the US" to "We ar…

China can do it because they have a command economy and the government can just take property to do what it wants. To do this in the USA you'd have a thousand different emminent domain claims to get through, at least some of which will be contested, you'll need to pay the property owners fair market prices for the land you are taking, there will need to be environmental impact studies, planning commission approvals,…

The US built stuff though. Not even that long ago.

Subway systems don’t take all that much land from private parties and are effectively too expensive to build here. Not to mention how long they take.

It’s because we decided it must be this way. If we decided (as a society) building stuff was important we could do so. It will take an existential crises for this attitude to shift though.

When you propose building quite literally anything here you will have people saying “no” crawling out of the woodwork. We decided to empower such people both legally and socially.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#129

Post by johnpdoe1234 »

SoftTalker wrote: post #122
gaoshan wrote: post #120

Having ridden the trains of China fairly extensively and over a long period of time I am essentially ruined for what we have in the US. The older style Chinese trains were fine and I always enjoyed the journey (and remember excitedly riding the maglev when it first opened in Shanghai) but the newer generation of high speed trains is what pushed me from "It would be so pleasant to have this system in the US" to "We ar…

China can do it because they have a command economy and the government can just take property to do what it wants. To do this in the USA you'd have a thousand different emminent domain claims to get through, at least some of which will be contested, you'll need to pay the property owners fair market prices for the land you are taking, there will need to be environmental impact studies, planning commission approvals,…

While I don't disagree with you as you described the US situation, many places out there have societies and government regulations closer to the US than China and they have built successful railway networks, including high speed ones. Many countries in Europe, for example.

It might be useful to compare the US with those countries instead, and find out what differs in the US so it's holding it back.

Re: Midnight train from GA: A view of America from the tracks as airports struggle

#130

Post by Melatonic »

phil21 wrote: post #128
SoftTalker wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

China can do it because they have a command economy and the government can just take property to do what it wants. To do this in the USA you'd have a thousand different emminent domain claims to get through, at least some of which will be contested, you'll need to pay the property owners fair market prices for the land you are taking, there will need to be environmental impact studies, planning commission approvals,…

The US built stuff though. Not even that long ago. Subway systems don’t take all that much land from private parties and are effectively too expensive to build here. Not to mention how long they take. It’s because we decided it must be this way. If we decided (as a society) building stuff was important we could do so. It will take an existential crises for this attitude to shift though. When you propose building quit…

Los Angeles is building a ton of new subway systems ( I think maybe more than anywhere else in the US ) where it is far from easy. If LA Metro can pull it off then so can elsewhere!
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