The Beauty of High-Speed Rail

This is the Lounge Car of a French TGV train zipping through southern France.

I think of this photo every time I ponder California's Prop 1A, which would bring high-speed rail to the Golden State if the proposition is approved by voters on November 4.

If this isn't an attractive argument for high-speed rail, I don't know what is. Need more logic? Read my endorsement of Prop 1A on the Telstar Logistics blog.

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Comments

obLiterated says:

Wow - impressive. High speed rail, though, still scares the *bleeep* out of me.....
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Dan Ancona says:

Oh, so that's what civilization looks like. Yeah - we should try that here.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Sylphbranching says:

I'm all for high speed rail, but have heard lots of arguments against prop 1a because of the way it's set up -- opponents say it doesn't actually secure enough funding for the project or guarantee that other backers will come through, and if nothing gets built, we still pay. They also say there is not enough accountability to ensure that anything actually gets built.
The opposition, especially from people like the Green Party whom I'd think would be all over this, are making me think twice about voting for Prop1a, even though I'd really love a rail.
Political details aside, this photo's beautiful...I hope we get something like this some day.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Telstar Logistics says:

I'm receptive to the counter-arguments, and they may have some merit. But I also know this: Without Prop 1A, it definitely won't get built. I've posted my arguments in favor on the blog:

telstarlogistics.typepad.com/telstarlogistics /2008/10/end...
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

elkit says:

I really like that you include "sexy" as an argument. :-)
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

SW Walsh says:

The current plans are growth inducing, especially in the valley. Plus, the preferred alignment (through Pacheco Pass) misses East Bay population centers and threatens Henry Coe State Park. I like the idea and am willing to fund it but not without some changes.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Sylphbranching says:

Thanks for sharing your link and thoughts. I do need to research further before making a decision.

And lens flare,It would be sad it if didn't come through the East Bay area...that would be silly.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Oceaneer99 says:

But will Californians be receptive to trains that look like they came from the Star Trek studio?
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Telstar Logistics says:

Absolutely! Star Trek was invented here.

It kills me every time I read that the Iraq War has cost the US roughly $10 billion per month. I know it's not an apples-to-apples comparison, but still: Four months of Iraq War = one complete California HSR network.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Triborough says:

I am all for high speed rail, as long as Amtrak doesn't run it since it would be slow, overpriced and late.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Steven Pam says:

Nice picture, though.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Steve Masiello says:

Nice photo. I've been to France but never took the tgv.
I'd like to design a kitchen in that style.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

GarySe7en says:

Sylphbranching,
The reason it is Prop1A and not Prop1 is that last minute changes were made, thanks to the help of assembly woman Fiona Ma, that added more economic accountability. Part of this change is that the state bond money would be released slowly over the course of the project, which means if backers did not come through and we had to abandon the project, which I don't think would be the case, the tax payers would not be stuck with the whole bill.

lens flare,
Regarding the route, the first phase of the project is Orange County to Downtown LA, so if there were changes you would want to see to the northern portion, there would be time to fight for those changes. However if it gets voted down it will likely never happen, period. It's been kept off the ballot for years now, and finally the state legislature let it through this time, and this is our shot to make it happen.

Triborough,

This train would run along dedicated track and be run by a separate high-speed rail authority that would be independent of Amtrak. Most of Amtrak's delays stem from numerous stretches where they share rail lines with freight. The HSR trains will not be sharing tracks with any other train services, though they will be adjacent to some existing rail right of ways. Also Amtrak tops out around 75 mph, and the CA-HSR would be more in the 200 mph range.

And yes, High-Speed trains are freaking sexy, and awesome. I started my own blog to promote the project as well as Measure R for LA transit, called Trains Are Awesome.

trainsareawesome.blogspot.com/
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

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The Beauty of High-Speed Rail

Comments

obLiterated says:

Dan Ancona says:

Sylphbranching says:

Telstar Logistics says:

elkit says:

SW Walsh says:

Sylphbranching says:

Oceaneer99 says:

Telstar Logistics says:

Triborough says:

Steven Pam says:

Steve Masiello says:

GarySe7en says:

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