Comments on: It’s environmentally responsible! http://blog.zenmervolt.com/2009/04/20/its-environmentally-responsible/ Just another town along the road. Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:30:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Curtis http://blog.zenmervolt.com/2009/04/20/its-environmentally-responsible/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Curtis Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:51:40 +0000 http://blog.zenmervolt.com/?p=266#comment-29 I remember criticizing high-speed rail waaay back in Mrs. Yates' LEAP class. That was, what, 1997? The reasoning for high-speed rail in the U.S. haven't improved much since. About the only place that high-speed rail makes sense is between large metropolitan areas that are close to each other. (Subways and train systems within a city are very economical as well). And there has to be enough regular traffic using the train system to make it worth the infrastructure investment. Europe and Japan are perfect examples of how high-speed train systems can work well. But the U.S. isn't like Japan or Europe. We're way too spread-out for trains to be good for much between cities other than freight (as you mentioned). I have yet to see an argument for high speed rail in the U.S. that makes much sense. I think we as a country want one to avoid feeling left out. Because that's about the only real reason for building one, and not a very good one at that. I remember criticizing high-speed rail waaay back in Mrs. Yates’ LEAP class. That was, what, 1997? The reasoning for high-speed rail in the U.S. haven’t improved much since. About the only place that high-speed rail makes sense is between large metropolitan areas that are close to each other. (Subways and train systems within a city are very economical as well). And there has to be enough regular traffic using the train system to make it worth the infrastructure investment.

Europe and Japan are perfect examples of how high-speed train systems can work well. But the U.S. isn’t like Japan or Europe. We’re way too spread-out for trains to be good for much between cities other than freight (as you mentioned). I have yet to see an argument for high speed rail in the U.S. that makes much sense. I think we as a country want one to avoid feeling left out. Because that’s about the only real reason for building one, and not a very good one at that.

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