I've posted about high-speed rail before, but in Alabama there's even a lack of regular-speed rail, at least for passengers. The only Amtrak service comes through the state with stops in Anniston, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. But according to The Birmingham News this morning, the passenger rail company could announce a plan today to restore the Sunset Limited service from Mobile to Orlando. You have to crawl before you can walk. The Obama Administration's stimulus plan includes money for high speed trains, but "just" $13-Billion over five years. Some folks advocate using all of that money in one place to truly get some high-speed service going, other would spread it out, which might benefit the Gulf Coast route. Just under 48,000 riders got on or off at Alabama's three stations in 2008.
Yeah... see?
ReplyDeleteEven your title of this entry characterizes the sorry state of trains in the USA.
I've advocated high-speed, magnetic levitation monorail trains for years.
Having them would end auto/truck train collisions.
Having them would end train/train crashes.
Having them would end train wrecks from literally falling off the tracks. (Yes, literally!)
Having them would increase speed and efficiency, reduce air traffic, fossil fuel use, and a host of other benefits.
Imagine, for example, going to the Gulf coast in about an hour... instead of fighting traffic and driving for several hours. At speeds in excess of 300+mph, it's entirely possible.
And, for example, in California (our nation's third largest land-mass state), folks make use of Amtrak, perhaps because it takes so long to get anywhere!
Having them (high-speed, magnetic monorail trains) constructed coast-to-coast would boost construction related jobs, materials manufacturers and sales and enable people to travel, conduct business and enjoy pleasure visits on a scale not before existing.
Besides... if entertainment giant Disney, the nations of Germany, China and others can have 'em built, why can't we?
Oh... yeah.
We're happy with our choo-choo's.
Or, are we?
Oh well... where there is no vision, the people perish.
Aren't we happy not having a vision? We've mangled around for nearly a decade of being subjected to others' "take me back" attitude rather than taking America forward.
That's the same mindset as the folks who opposed the "horseless carriage."
It's time to move forward.