This animated map shows how radically a high-speed train system would improve travel

The money we wasted on the Iraq War, subsidies for business interest and those tax cuts for the rich, could have paid for a high-speed rail system like this one in this animation. Even China has a high-speed rail system? A high-speed rail system would improve our infrastructure too! Imagine going from New York to Los Angles in 20 hours! Currently we have a third world passenger rail system!

This animated map shows how radically a high-speed train system would improve travel in the US

http://www.businessinsider.com/animated-map-high-speed-rail-network-united-states-2016-8

 

I've spent a lot of time in Europe and you can't beat a good rail system for cost, speed and comfort. The US easily has the population centers to make it viable.

 

We haven't been trying to build these things for years or anything...

Nobody wants them.

 

Bull(*)(*)(*)(*). Right wingers dont want them.

 

coal powered trains.... YAWN... If you people didn't destroy our nuclear industry, everything in America would be electric today and we would have high speed electric trains. Now the average American can barely afford to run an AC unit. How do you plan on powering a nation wide, high speed rail system? It's the same with electric cars (coal powered cars). The left has tried to make energy as expensive as possible, making internal combustion the way we'll operate till you people are finally defeated.

 

Here's the picture that should be in the "America" slot.



FYI.

 

Rail road tracks can be sabotaged easily by terrorists.......care to try again?

 

You are quite right
It simply is much more cost effective for this nation to use air transportation vs building out an advanced rail network. Anyway, who wants to spend 20 hours going coast to coast?

 

There are only 2 systems in the world that are self sufficient, Kyoto Japan and Paris France. All other railway systems are subsidized, which means they are losers. Most other systems are in countries where fuel is $5 a pint.

 

It's funny that "modernization" is even considered as an angle to argue. Sheesh. What's next? "High speed" riverboats?

 

Yawn my ass. The RW hears "Will be paid with taxes" and throws a fit unless the end product is bullets and bombs meant for third world conflicts.

I'm sick of the deflection. The RW owns this.

 

The only high speed train systems that come close to breaking even are in Japan. High speed rail between NY and DC makes sense. Who's going to want to take a 20 hr ride between New York and Los Angeles--it's a 6 hr flight.

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People that can do math don't want them....

 

To republicans, spending money on something that helps everyone = socialism.

 

I could make that trip 15 hours faster by getting on a plane and flying.

 

Why do you want to put Coal Miners and Frackers out of a job?

Are you even a right-winger? Of course you are...right-wingers are total hypocrites and cognitively dissonant.

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The idea of a well built high speed rail system is to bring down the cost of the rail system to less than flying and take pressure of the airway system as well.

 

I think we should let energy have an even playing field. Why "protect" coal or gas or oil, when everything could be electric.

 

And there is nothing quite like zipping through the countryside at 285 mph in smooth near silence. Sure beats showing up two hour early at the airport to stand in line at security.

 

I don't disagree with you, just stating if you consider yourself a right winger that you're way out of line. I expect it from right wingers, if you're not a right winger then you're probably not cognitively dissonant, as evidenced by your not caring about those other useless jobs.

 

Nah we should waste tax dollars on a wall instead!!

 

You beat me to it. Just one or two events showing how vulnerable they are and people will stop using them. At this very second I could sabotage a section of track and I could do so in a way where the train companies couldn't detect it until the thing derailed. At least with a plane you pretty much only have to guard to departure terminals and that's it.

 

If a high speed rail system would be so wonderful, why don't you progressives start a company and build one? You can even bring up the animated map you think proves something when presenting your plans to potential investors.

Or do you think we need to go the government route where contracts are awarded to those companies that contributed the most to the right political campaigns?

 

Those third world rail lines that you are talking about are doing what they are designed to do carry freight. You are right in the sense that are passenger train our well be hind everyone, but from the freight side no one move more freight quicker and more efficient then we do.

 

They can't, their own environmentalist would tie them up in court for decades.

 

Yes, high speed rails are best suited for high density, with a max range of about 300 miles. Places along the coast lines of the US are the ones that would benefit more. Rail for the mid-west and south is best for freight, where those long hauls can be far less expensive than truck based.

 

They are also a lot safer than most forms of transportation. Until the accident in China, which was safety short-cuts resulting from corruption, there had never been a fatal derailment involving a high speed train.