High-speed rail gets a congressional caucus

[marmar]

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Congressmen create high-speed rail caucus


Yesterday, a group of senators and House representatives formed the Bicameral High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus, which will advocate for advancing high-speed and intercity passenger rail programs across the country.

The caucus comprises Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), Corrine Brown (D-Fla), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), David Price (D-N.C.), Tim Walz (DLF-Minn.) and Rep. John Olver (D-Mass).

The caucus will “be dedicated to support federal legislative and funding policies to ensure long-term viability of the high-speed and intercity passenger-rail program,” according to a prepared statement. Each founding co-chair represents a region with a major high-speed or intercity passenger-rail corridor that, when completed, would make up a national high-speed rail network.


http://www.hsrupdates.com/news/details/Congressmen-create-highspeed-rail-caucus--817

[AllyCat]

1. This weekend, we took a 30 hour train trip. How long would it have been if

high speed rail? We had multiple delays, many due to sharing tracks with freight trains that usually were at slower speeds than us. We had numerous signal malfunctions that the Amtrak staff took very seriously (must happen often?) and that slowed us down by several hours. Still, it was so pleasant. People friendly. Staff and riders friendly to kids. It was like a big traveling slumber party.

Yet we couldn't believe that rail travel was not more popular in this country. Not driving a car was just awesome. We spent time with our kids and other passengers. Could not have done that driving.

Yet our stupid guv just killed high-speed rail that was a given in our state with the accompanying jobs and economic boost.

[Arkana]

2. Olver? Well I'll be damned--that's the first time I've ever seen his name in the news

for anything.