Japanese delegation speaks on benefits of high-speed trains - OC Register
Posted by: Len Kranser | 01/31/2008 10:03 AM
A delegation of Japanese transportation officials attended a seminar Wednesday in Anaheim to talk about the Shinkansen and how its success could be applied to a proposed 700-mile highspeed route that would stretch from the Bay Area to Southern California.
The El Toro Info Site notes that inter-city high speed rail is seen by many as the alternative to forecasted airport expansion, which is opposed by communities surrounding most of Southern California's airports. Roughly one-third of LA region air travel is for trips of less than 500 miles.
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
High speed trains are another government boondoggle. Upgrades to existing tracks and purchases of new right of way to support high speed curves will be massively expensive, and the cost of operating trains and track maintenance will never come close to breakeven against the cost of air transport.
If you like government subsidies for travel, you'll love this.
Having multiple options for travel, given the current and future levels of congestion, is a great thing!
Won't happen. CA High-Speed Rail needs to get a $10 billion bond on the September ballot. Arnold's not behind it. Who thinks, after approving a $40 billion infrastructure bond next year that anyone's going to swallow another $10B for something the airlines compete well against, and will just drop their fares to keep people off it?
Why does the establishment keep the high-speed rail initiatives off the ballot? Hmmm...
Levitation train system for L.A. gets initial OK - Daily Breeze 1/31/08
A massive plan to accelerate transportation in the region with a $26 billion high-speed train system received initial approval from the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday as it created a joint-powers agreement [with West Covina and Ontario.]
The move marked the first step in negotiations to solidify an Atlanta-based firm's proposal to construct a magnetic-levitation train system that would start at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, run through downtown and eventually reach Ontario Airport.
Los Angeles City Councilman Greig Smith said American Maglev Technology would foot the bill for the system and has been working with the Southern California Association of Governments on its proposal.
Meanwhile, a $9.95 billion bond measure is set to be on the November ballot to fund initial work on a 700-mile high-speed rail system from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
The first phase of that project would begin in Orange County and run through Los Angeles. The measure requires a simple majority vote, a California High Speed Rail authority spokesman said.
El Toro was already paid for with our taxes and a certain someone made a career out of killing it. Now this same someone thinks we should spend new taxes to the tune of 10 billion build high speed rail. Never mind that the state has a 14 billion dollar budget.