Bullet Trains in America?
11/29/08 14:30
OK, we admit it - this is the coolest video we have seen in a long time. And it’s going to happen, thanks to California voters passing a $10B bond measure. The Environmental Impact Statement is complete and it’s supported by the Sierra Club.
Electric high-speed trains are five times more efficient than flying and three times better than driving. We think the timing and technology couldn’t be better...
The United States was famed for its rail technology which it exported worldwide until the 1920s... However the mid-20th Century saw our government invest tax dollars in the highways that criss-cross our country today. California is about to lead the nation into the era of bullet trains...
Today, except for Amtrak’s sweet 125mph Boston - NY - Washington DC Acela Express, few passenger trains exist outside commuter networks in places like Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now California’s electric high-speed rail project which will operate at over 200mph was approved by voters in November. From San Diego to L.A. to San Francisco to Sacramento, travel times are fast: LA to downtown San Francisco in 2 hours and 30 minutes...
High-speed trains work best in areas of dense population such as the Northeast where Amtrak’s operations are profitable. California is similar - with a population of 35 million today growing to 50M by 2030. Similar bullet trains operate in France, Japan, Taiwan and
Highways and airport expansions to handle California’s growth are estimated to cost about $80 Billion whereas the equivalent high-speed train system will cost about half that. The HST has overwhelming benefits vs. adding to airport and highway infrastructure:
We think this package couldn’t be better and
Today, except for Amtrak’s sweet 125mph Boston - NY - Washington DC Acela Express, few passenger trains exist outside commuter networks in places like Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now California’s electric high-speed rail project which will operate at over 200mph was approved by voters in November. From San Diego to L.A. to San Francisco to Sacramento, travel times are fast: LA to downtown San Francisco in 2 hours and 30 minutes...
High-speed trains work best in areas of dense population such as the Northeast where Amtrak’s operations are profitable. California is similar - with a population of 35 million today growing to 50M by 2030. Similar bullet trains operate in France, Japan, Taiwan and
Highways and airport expansions to handle California’s growth are estimated to cost about $80 Billion whereas the equivalent high-speed train system will cost about half that. The HST has overwhelming benefits vs. adding to airport and highway infrastructure:
- Estimated $1 billion annual operating profit
- City-center to city-center travel
- Fastest overall travel times (LA to San Francisco in 2 hours & 30 minutes)
- Minimal environmental impact: runs along existing right-of-way & highways
- Uses one-third of the energy than that of an airplane and one-fifth of an automobile trip
- Saves 12.7 million barrels of oil per year cut CO2 impact by up to 12 billion pounds of CO2 per year, (even with future improvements in auto fuel efficiency.)
- Will create up to 160,000 construction jobs during the current downturn.
We think this package couldn’t be better and
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