Rail haters should take a hint from Warren Buffett

[mgc1961]

It's been a good year so far for rail haters.

New governors in Wisconsin and Ohio made good on their campaign promise to kill passenger train projects in their states. Florida's new governor soon followed.

In the wake of the deepest recession since the Great Depression, all three governors rejected billions of dollars in federal funding that would have created thousands of new jobs building, operating and maintaining high-speed trains.

Not everyone scoffs at rail investment, though.


Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/07/109709/commentary-rail-haters-should.html#ixzz1FvKbibRm

[pinto]

1. I like this comment from Buffett -

"We are a major and essential part of the American economy's circulatory system," Buffett said in his letter. "In carrying out this job, we must anticipate society's needs, not merely react to them."

:kick:

[NV Whino]

2. Id bet on Mr Buffet, myself.

[Historic NY]

3. They don't want to create jobs it make Obama look good.

[Control-Z]

4. I hope California's rail

projects are highly successful - creating an outstanding number of new jobs and benefiting the state in the many ways I would expect. And I hope it happens soon. These other states will have to look at the reality. What they'll do with it is anyone's guess, though.

[madrchsod]

5. more money for the rest of the states!

illinois got a share from wisconsin. the rail line ends a few miles from the wisconsin border. i think california got a huge chunk from wisconsin and ohio.

[Ian David]

6. Doesn't go far enough. We need ultra-high-speed Evacuated Tube Transport.

Evacuated Tube Transport

The use of a magnetic levitation train in a low-pressure tunnel was theoretically described in 2003 by Okano et al., only regarding the transportation of goods and not people.<1> Okano discussed a particularly advanced type of maglev train, the HTS Maglev (with High temperature superconductor magnets);<1> earlier papers discussing a less advanced maglev in a low-pressure tunnel may exist. A company called et3.com Inc. registered a patent for trade mark name Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT), a supposedly transportation technology which it advertises on its website with the marketing slogan 'Space Travel on Earth'. Okano et al. made no mention of the ETT patent or people transport.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evacuated_Tube_Transport

[MedicalAdmin]

9. OK - that's pretty cool.

[Stuart G]

7. K and R

[Fuddnik]

8. We lack a clear vision for high speed rail.

You need a project like the interstate highway system. Say, "Here's what it will look like when it's finished. You can get just about anywhere that a major airline would take you.

When you talk of Cleveland to Columbus or Tampa to Orlando, nobody really gives a shit.

I think Amtrak could be a major success with dedicated rails and better scheduling. I've taken it several times, and it was very enjoyable. But, I arrived at my destination at 10:30 pm, with no place to rent a car, and my return trip boarded at 3:00am.