Quote from: The Boo Man... on November 25, 2013, 09:04:38 PM
I love trains but they aren't profitable...

Exactly, except passenger trains by and large stopped being profitable more than fifty years ago. Even in the heyday of railroads, say 1870-1940, most stations handled freight only. Passenger stations were few and far between. Back in the day, there were four railroad stations within walking or riding (horseback) distance of where I sit right now; only one of them sold passenger tickets.

By 1970, all the small-scale "intercity" lines were long gone, and with gas at roughly 30 cents/gallon, and the Interstate system about 3/4-built, only a fool would ride a train.

Quote from: TboneAgain on November 25, 2013, 09:17:19 PM
Exactly, except passenger trains by and large stopped being profitable more than fifty years ago. Even in the heyday of railroads, say 1870-1940, most stations handled freight only. Passenger stations were few and far between. Back in the day, there were four railroad stations within walking or riding (horseback) distance of where I sit right now; only one of them sold passenger tickets.

By 1970, all the small-scale "intercity" lines were long gone, and with gas at roughly 30 cents/gallon, and the Interstate system about 3/4-built, only a fool would ride a train.

I would think buses would make more sense. They run on an existing infrastructure. They are flexible in that they can stop anywhere.

Quote from: The Boo Man... on November 25, 2013, 09:21:08 PM
I would think buses would make more sense. They run on an existing infrastructure. They are flexible in that they can stop anywhere.

When I was a kid, I rode the city's electric buses to take me to the YMCA in downtown Dayton. Of course, they were limited to going where the overhead electric lines went, and I did a lot of walking on both ends of the ride. Diesel buses are a lot more flexible -- and a LOT more expensive to operate and fuel -- but even they won't take you home, or to your girlfriend's house, unless she happens to live along a major thoroughfare. Yeah, they can "stop anywhere." But they won't go off their routes any more than the railroads would/could.

FWIW, I've experienced the magic of Greyhound first-hand. EWWWW.

I just don't think it's practical to build a bullet-rail parallel to an active earthquake fault-line.  An entire companion-agency has to arise to combat the rail-system's fracture-propagation via x-ray, laser, and ultrasound technology.   -Because the rail interacts with the 'high-speed' motion of the vehicle, unlike normal train-traffic.  It just seems unrealistically risky and expensive as we enter 2014...

Quote from: kit saginaw on November 26, 2013, 01:26:59 AM
I just don't think it's practical to build a bullet-rail parallel to an active earthquake fault-line.  An entire companion-agency has to arise to combat the rail-system's fracture-propagation via x-ray, laser, and ultrasound technology.   -Because the rail interacts with the 'high-speed' motion of the vehicle, unlike normal train-traffic.  It just seems unrealistically risky and expensive as we enter 2014...

And for all practical reasons it won't be built.
The Scum Leftists in this state desperately needed money, they knew they had driven the state to bankruptcy; with the bullet train, they could suck federal dollars into the state and create a numbers illusion of solvency.

When we (the TEA) take power, the state will lose this ridiculous funding, the charade of a Ponzi scheme will be over and who ever is in power, will be held accountable.
I'm hoping this will be one of the reasons many a Dim won't run next year and bail on Ca.

Quote from: Solar on November 26, 2013, 03:42:35 AM
And for all practical reasons it won't be built.
The Scum Leftists in this state desperately needed money, they knew they had driven the state to bankruptcy; with the bullet train, they could suck federal dollars into the state and create a numbers illusion of solvency.

When we (the TEA) take power, the state will lose this ridiculous funding, the charade of a Ponzi scheme will be over and who ever is in power, will be held accountable.
I'm hoping this will be one of the reasons many a Dim won't run next year and bail on Ca.

I love optimism as much as anyone, but to think the TEA or any other political party will displace the DEM's in CA, within the next 20 years, is simply unrealistic IMO.  CA is the epicenter, the host of the decease known as progressive socialism.

Quote from: LIAMD on November 26, 2013, 07:58:44 AM
I love optimism as much as anyone, but to think the TEA or any other political party will displace the DEM's in CA, within the next 20 years, is simply unrealistic IMO.  CA is the epicenter, the host of the decease known as progressive socialism.

As well as a case study in failure.

Judge just struck down the bullet train.

Quote from: Solar on November 26, 2013, 08:16:06 AM
As well as a case study in failure.

Judge just struck down the bullet train.

Must have a REALLY big gavel! 

Quote from: TboneAgain on November 26, 2013, 08:36:08 AM
Must have a REALLY big gavel! 

Easy boy's, it ain't over until the 9th Circus Court of Appeals says it's over.   

Quote from: tbone0106 on June 04, 2012, 09:11:46 PM
The unrepentant symbiosis between Governor Moonbeam-Ronstadt and Dear Leader lends a new dimension to the term "pitching woo." DL has never printed a stimulus dollar that Moonbeam wouldn't bend over to get.

WOW!  I haven't heard that name for Brown in a long time.  And didn't he date RONSTADT about 40 years ago??  I guess that is pertinent, right?? 

Quote from: LIAMD on November 26, 2013, 09:11:58 AM
Easy boy's, it ain't over until the 9th Circus Court of Appeals says it's over.   

Yeah, I believe it to be temporary as well, until they can find more money to pay off another judge.
It's the leftist way.