$7-a-gallon gas?

[silencedogood20]

We have two choices: either stick with using oil as our main source of energy which will eventually run out and leave us depending even more than we already do on foreign oil OR invest in new energy that can sustain us for generations to come. Clearly the era of drill baby drill needs to come to an end. It won't be easy at first, but rest assured there's no way on God's green earth (I hope this phrase is still around 50 years from now) that Obama will let $7/gal gas prices happen under his watch. No politician would let something that crazy happen. However, sacrifices do need to be made in order to protect ourselves in the long run. It's either we take action now and control our energy resources for the future, or wait until it's too late leaving us in an absolute crisis.

 

[The_Penguin]

Will not work and will take years. Rail is less reliable and their bridges need work. Tracks need repair many factors make it not feasible.

The vast majority of our commodities (coal, iron ore, limestone, etc.) are shipped by rail each day with few if any incidents. Most of the nations that operate high-speed rail-lines do so safely on a consistent basis. It's safer to travel on a TGV for decades than get in a car and go down a highway for the same time-span.

It's funny. We put a man on the moon, build the Panama Canal, the Hoover dam, the space shuttle, the first stealth plane, the first self-powered plane and now this is somehow not possible or will not work? Tell me, how come the French can make it work and we can't? Just what sort of facts (and yes, I want to see links) do you know of that we don't that imbue you with such a defeatist attitude about this nation's capabilities?

 

[The_Penguin]

Japan's population density is also 10X ours though.

Not everywhere. We can't expect the same service going from Boston to NYC as Helena to Boise.

 

[The_Penguin]

The only regular passenger line in the country that makes money is the Acela from DC to Boston. Every other line loses money, including the non-Acela northeast line.

Fun fact: In addition to always being late, the Coastal Starlight that OC mentioned above loses $136/passenger. It's not the worst though - the Sunset Limited transported 71,719 passengers at a cost to the taxpayer of $462 a head.

Subsidyscope.com — Transportation: Amtrak Route Performance Table

Yup and some will be scrapped. High-speed rail works best when it actually goes fast and competes directly with routes that airlines use (which means dedicated lines.)

 

[ptif219]

The vast majority of our commodities (coal, iron ore, limestone, etc.) are shipped by rail each day with few if any incidents. Most of the nations that operate high-speed rail-lines do so safely on a consistent basis. It's safer to travel on a TGV for decades than get in a car and go down a highway for the same time-span.

It's funny. We put a man on the moon, build the Panama Canal, the Hoover dam, the space shuttle, the first stealth plane, the first self-powered plane and now this is somehow not possible or will not work? Tell me, how come the French can make it work and we can't? Just what sort of facts (and yes, I want to see links) do you know of that we don't that imbue you with such a defeatist attitude about this nation's capabilities?

Care to compare size of country and say it is the same?

 

[The_Penguin]

Care to compare size of country and say it is the same?

How do you think most of the coal in this country moves from mine to factory/power plant? Or limestone? Iron ore?

Oh, and you completely ignored my point about why we were able to do so much before but suddenly are somehow incapable (especially since other countries have mastered the 'complex' art of making a train go fast.)

 

[ptif219]

How do you think most of the coal in this country moves from mine to factory/power plant? Or limestone? Iron ore?

Oh, and you completely ignored my point about why we were able to do so much before but suddenly are somehow incapable (especially since other countries have mastered the 'complex' art of making a train go fast.)

As I have posted the railroad can handle no more they are at capacity