Its a shame that the NE corridor and Acela trains are the only ones that turn a profit for Amtrak. Everything else they touch is just a black hole for money.
@AmersfoortTristan With our system of interconnecting highways, Americans tend to use their cars to travel. Railroads have been neglected. Here in the states they are not that fast because they don't have the funding to update the rails. They have a lot of problems with breakdowns and running late, too. So I can imagine European trains run a lot faster, what with the acceptance of rapid transit over there.
@Hendo56 It's actually rather odd because we have those interconnecting motorways too (there is even a network of motorways labelled as E (Europe)-roads and both the motorways and the trains are absolutely clogged (at least here in the Netherlands but the same goes all over Western Europe).
With trains you have more of a guarantee here that you will be reasonably on time (particularly in France or Germany) as rush hour here is so bad that
@AmersfoortTristan you are almost sure that you're going to end up late at the office if you take the car. But then again.. in some parts of Europe (also of the Netherlands) we have yet another layer: buses - our socalled Interliner (bus) that will also take you across the country and connects you with more local public buses.
But the size of Europe in general is of course much smaller then the US and it's population density a lot higher.
@AmersfoortTristan The excellent rapid transit systems of Europe are often cited here as the way things could be done. The way we deal with traffic congestion? Leave earlier. On the weekend I can drive to work in 20 minutes. During the week it takes me 45 minutes to an hour. If we had a bus route that was fairly direct there, plus ran after 5, I'd take it. We have neither. But we need to do something to get more cars, and trucks, off the road.
@Hendo56 The problem is that more people think that way. I was the assistant of a lorry driver when I was 17/18 (doing all the paper work and helping with loading up stuff) and we left at around half past 3 in the morning and believe it or not: we usually ended up in traffic jams at around 5 , half past 5 in the morning so it's no real guarantee.
It would work a bit if there would be more developed transport network in the US (I have heard they have jams all day round)
@AmersfoortTristan and maybe try to upgrade the rail infrastructure (maybe also use more shipping in some areas--- we really use a lot of that for freight) so some trucks can be taken off the road.
What also could help is the latest development that we have around Eindhoven where they split local traffic from traffic that is passing through on the beltway.
There is a video about that here on youtube (A2 Randweg Eindhoven, NL) so that could also work a bit.
@AmersfoortTristan : Ah, OK, in fact it's the costly HSL Zuid, designed with ETCS European System "ERTMS level 2", except the fact... there's actually no high speed train compatible for opening the route!
@dionysos46 Another nice costly event. The Belgians showed little signs of collaboration. Our government was inconsqeuent and downright bad in it's planning and the Italian company that is responsible for the train kept on stalling -- why I don't know but they were a disaster. I still think we should have gone with the Germans as they at least have the train, . Although we now have the train (Fyra) but I really haven't got a clue what they are up to.
@dionysos46 I reankly haven't got the faintest clue why they just didn't take the perfectly available Thalys (I have been in the thing and I loved it) and why they had to bother with privatising it in order to comform with "European standards" while simply building the line and letting the SNCF go all the way to Amsterdam would have been sufficient. And then we could have started with a HSL Oost as well and have the ICE go to Amsterdam now. (it goes there now but now in high-speed).
@AmersfoortTristan Usually between 5 am and 9 am it's very bad, and between 3:30 and 7pm it's bad. Other than that, you can usually move quickly on our beltways. During the summer when school lets out traffic diminishes a great deal.
@Hendo56 It seems to follow the same pattern as here. Althougn my uncle told me once (he visited California a couple of years ago) that there were day round traffic jams. Even after midnight. But then again that can differ from region to region as here the main conurbation and all roads leading to it get jammed in mornings but the rest of the country enjoys relatively peace and quiet.
@AmersfoortTristan You are right about being different from region to region. California's traffic is nothing like here! But you are right, some places, like Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York City, are ALWAYS crowded, no matter what time of day. I live in Maryland, and it thankfully is not like that here.
Yes, that's true. She was walking trackside listening to her Ipod when she was struck. It clipped her and sent her body flying ahead to the side. She had a friend with her who was farther away from the tracks, and was not hurt.
Sucks how this thing takes almost 7 hours to reach Washington from Boston. I'm pretty sure that if it could complete the trip in 2 hours like it's suppose to do people wouldn't have a problem paying the $150 for the trip. Right now the Acela service is useless unless you just like being in a train.
About 3 weeks ago, a 14 year old student and another classmate went through a hole in the Amtrak fence to get to school about a mile from where this was filmed. They were walking along the tracks, wearing ipods. An Acela came up on them, and hit and killed one girl. It's stirred a big debate in the Baltimore area whether part of the blame rests with Amtrak, even though the girl was clearly walking on their property.
@phantomlord54 Why is that tragic? do dumb things, and dumb things happen. This whole society is always so stuck up on looking for someone to blame. Who are we blaming for BP? Is that fixing the spill?
@phantomlord54 no, im part of a hip hop duo from baltimore called Facez, I used to be called Exodus until I came across some copyright issues. Im called Concept now
It was reported that the victim was listening to her iPod at the time. If's that's true, I feel sorry for her, but that was a fatally dumb thing to do. No one to blame but herself. Antrak isn't qualified to address lack-of-parenting issues.
Actually, this used to be the old Pennsylvania then Penn Central Railroad's North East Corridor. Back then it was primarily freight. Only after Amtrak took it over did it become predominately passenger trains. Still, Conrail did use it sometimes, and that's why there was an accident.
@TrickyEmu It's not crazy, it is call a lack of commitment. This country has no problem spending billions of dollars on bombers and fighter aircrafts, but it has a problem building basic infrastructures. It is better to kill people more efficiently than to live one's life more efficiently.
Actually it was in Chase, MD. The engineer and brakeman of a set of Conrail light engines were stoned, ignored stop signals and blocked the line. Amtrak #94 ran into them doing over 100 mph. I remember when it happened back in '87.
You are SO right! You can see why half the trains I miss! And I have a clear view down the track. But if I'm looking north, sure as heck one will sneak up from the south! And vice versa.
Oh, my goodness gracious! First of all, I've got a headache just reading the back and forth comments between...er...who again? hold on, I'll be right back...oh, yeah, pr0t0color and...hold on a minute...CBass1307...yeah, that's it! Holy mackerel! Hendo56, all you did was make a short video of a magnificent Acela train (not an ugly train, as 343kaka declared) zooming by in Middle River! I know exactly where it is by the way! See what you started!? LOL! Now, all it needs is dedicated tracks!
Yeah, here I figured that this was a good way to let people who don't have access to the NE Corridor see the Acela go pass, and it turns into a discussion on world politics. Anyway, this is a good spot to watch Amtrak.
The sad thing is that a lot of the track on the northeast corridor will never let the Acela do what it's meant for...sor of like a Ferarri in a city traffic jam.
I live in Brussels, Belgium and from here I can take the high speed trains to Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris (and other French cities) and London! Kick your ass! And they're way faster than those trains
Yes they are. But America has an extensive road network. I can drive anywhere along the Eastern Seaboard from Florida to Maine on one road- I-95. We also have lots of airlines that fly to all the major cities. While the passenger train was the way to go up to 1950, nowadays we drive or fly.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
i dont mean to argue with you or anything, but you ve just proven that america really is the problem to earth's pollution. with the huge amount of americans using their cars, earth is going down :-s america is a threat to the world, not to mankind, but to the environment
Um, maybe you can learn and find out America isn't the biggest polluter of the environment. And notice how global warming is not accellerating or really killing anything for that matter. China is most of the problem (being they produce a few hundred more metric tons of CO2 than the USA)
@DeltaPhi79: China does indeed produce a little more CO2 than the US, but they also have a population of 1.3 billion. They produce more than four times LESS per capita.
The US has 5% the world's population and produces 20% of the CO2.
Europe has a better road network than the US has. Europe has higher speed limits and smoother roads. Take a look at some maps and learn. The USA's road system is a worn-out joke!
Gets us where we want to go. The condition of the roads vary state by state. Virginia's were great- South Carolina's the pits. But you're right in a way; we've got some out of whack priorities- spending so much of our money on helping other countries in the world instead of our own infrastructure.
@cooldit1 Why you fucking Americans are always restless, frustrated and live on depression pills? Did you also lose your job to a filthy slum dog? LOL Come to Himalayas and do Yoga dear pathetic fools. How is Obama? Did he send you relief cheque? LOL. He says will dig and come out of the hole. LOL
@indianrailways depression? I don't have depression dude. Obama can't do anything good. Obama cannot dig the US out of a hole. Dude...i was just joking with you. I'm very harsh with jokes sometimes...a little too harsh sometimes. I really am sorry about that. I just found the opportunity to make a joke back. You are right though...amtrak or shall i say amtrash does suck nuts. You are a bit restless yourself though...just saying. LOL.
philglassfan: 1: "BETTER" is your opinion and not a fact. 2: Our lines are a bit older so we can't really go much higher than 150MPH (which is fast enough. You don't NEED to go faster unless your country is enormous). And I think you need to learn and find out it's a RAIL system. A ROAD, unless you're retarded, is a street.
i f***ing love taking the ACELA... a hell of a lot better than coach on the AMFLEET.... and man the first class on one of these babies... mmmmmmhhmmmhmhmmmhh!!
I made a too short comment without a single argument, but i don't like it bechause when amtrak was testing european high speed trains the tracks in USA were too bad, resulting in Acela. A very ugly train too.
YOU'RE evidently not too smart. I mean, even a few minutes of browsing what the rest of the world has for its HSR will make you realize America's passenger rail system is a joke. We spend all this money on developing the system and then go and use old track, which limits our speed by literally 100+ MPH. And the Acela, which you evidently love, is using catenary lines that were built during the Great Depression. Yeah, that's progress. Go America.
Wait were you talking to me? Who is this "our" who dominates my rail system? BNSF? They don't dominate anywhere around me. Looking at their maps, they're all west of here by a few states.
Furthermore, what the hell does freight have to do with HSR? In an ideal (though absolutely unlikely situation in car-friendly America) they wouldn't even share ANY track. But yeah, you really got me.
I agree with you Amtrak really needs to get their act together on some routes while others are fine. I was skiing in Colorado a few years ago and was going to take th California Zephyr back to Denver but I drove because it was 12 hours late. That was extra late but it was normal for it to be 2-3 hours late. A couple weeks ago I was there again and the Zephyr was on time 3 days in a row. It's improving but it has a long way to go on many routes. If I wasn't a train fan I don't think I'd ride it.
Lots of the commuter railroads are doing a good job though. Many are expanding. Amtrak is also due for some new equipment. The Budd Amfleets are 30 years old and I think the Superliners are around that too.
I agree with you totally. The situation with rail in America (like everything more or less), is tied to money. We one had one of the great passenger systems in the world. That was generations ago. Having said that, when a new political concensus is reached, and I think we are getting there quickly, we Americans tend to go from one extreme to another. I hate flying, and most everybody I know does too. Luckily I live in D.C. where we do have trains. I think we will see improvements soon.
Well, I love all trains- freight and passenger. Let's be civil here, and agree to disagree. True, the catenary is old, but it still works. I used to sit along here in the pre-Amtrak days and watch the GG-1s go roaring by. They were 40 years old at the time, but they still looked magnificent.
You are incorrect, the catenaries were rebuilt for the Acela.
The northeast is densely settled. If you want to see new right-of-ways for 150mph+ travel, you are looking at eminent domain seizures of private land to do so. That is politically unpopular. Also unpopular is that rail funding is federal (nationwide), however rail by definition usually services major cities and hubs; meaning why would a citizen of North Dakota elect a pro-amtrak senator, when ND is not served?
That's wrong. They rebuilt some, and I believe they have intentions to replace all catenaries, but they still utilize old lines.
And as for eminent domain, they do it with highways. And why would someone from Nebraska or Nevada or some other state vote for a pro-Interstate Senator when they have comparatively low miles of Interstate. A lot of Federally funded things are like this.
Besides, I'm not an advocate for Amtrak at all. Amtrak is terrible. It is a bad business model.
Part 2: I'm all for the state built and ran, Federally funded system. And being that I live in Ohio and we just approved our "high speed rail" plans, I'm quite upset. Spending billions on a system that tops out at 79 mph just doesn't cut it. I wish we'd go with the California model (which is in turn the TGV model) and build new track outside of cities, use existing track in cities, and just go damn fast. Speed is what sells the trains.
@Richthofen80 Amtrak always used to serve Minot, ND. Did they stop that service? Most mayors and county officials of the smaller destinations served by Amtrak are fierce advocates for maintaining Amtrak service.
I guess from an American point of view, the Acela is cool. Let's face it, we really haven't kept up with passenger train developments. Our national highway system makes us take to our cars. But I love riding the train.
hey beautifulboy, i lives in arbutus, and the acela blows by my house all the time, and when i`m free, i takes my folding chair, and sit by the tracks and watch the acela blows by those marc trains
Thank-you for sharing this video! I don't get to see ACELA trains living in the Midwest, so watching them in action on video is always a treat. You did an excellent job at capturing a beautiful passenger train in motion; many, many thanks.
Folks this is not a fake , my 4 year old son and I have spent many hours watching trains pass through this station. We enjoy hopping the Marc train here and traveling to Bawlmer and DC. This a very busy track along the NE corridor with MARC running M-F and Amtrak and NS running day and night.
This is not a fake- check out my videos from the same station.
Great job Hendo56!!! Just a friendly reminder that the official name for the station you were at is called "Martin (Airport) Station" although it IS located in Middle River, not far from the intersection of Md. 43 and Md. 150 (Eastern Blvd.) and on a side note, not far from the trailer park from which I reside, and from where I can hear the passenger trains during the day and the freights very late at night.
I have seen teh station via msn maps and I cant't believe this station exists in a country like US. It is probably the worst station I have ever seen.
MARC stations are Maryland Commuter Stations. They are like bus stops. Behind me is a set of shelters to sit in. It's not a train station per se. But it is called a station, nonetheless.
Ok! thank you very much! Im sure that if that for public transportation all this aspects must be not only correct they must be perfect. If not people only choose public transport if its cheaper! Public transport needs improvements around the world!
Problem is that trains ALWAYS depend upon public investment to become really cool and useful. Look at the rail systems of every country on the planet and you will see that is the case. I'm trying to give people good arguments (in the details too) to use for promoting public expenditures on rail infrastructure development. CBass is giving the classical counter-arguments. I want to arm readers with effective defences against that.
our trains are more busy than ever between dc and boston, i guess mainly between dc and philly. ridership is really important because the north east corridor is what keeps amtrak alive. our on time performance is i think 80%. if its on amtrak property they are hardly ever late. other than that, no big news i guess...
Think you guys can keep the talk on trains? I keep getting bombarded in my email about comments being posted on my video, and it's filling up my inbox. Thanks!
You are a Moron. You keep blaming me for the discussion staying off topic, yet I posted on topic just an hour ago, and you have not posted anything realted to railraods at all, in days.
CBass:"You are a Moron. You keep blaming me for the discussion staying off topic, yet I posted on topic just an hour ago, and you have not posted anything realted to railraods at all, in days."
Sorry. .. I have a job. . .weekend and I am back now. . .Read and respond at your pleasure.
Back to the original topic of a high speed rail system. BOS to WAS will not happen because of cost. I would love to see it happen, but it won't. other places it WILL happen. Places where there is room for it. There will be a HSRS in California at some point. The population density outside of major cities is low enough to allow it. There are already plans to build one in Las Vegas. Chicago will likely be the base of a midwestern HSRS at some point. Florida will likely have one.
The entire South eastern US is perfect for a HSRS. Major cities, little sub-urban sprawl between cities, and mostly flat terrain (at least in the populated areas).
Yeah, because the US is just SO MUCH MORE CROWDED THAN JAPAN!
If the Japanese can build state of the art rail infrastructure in one of the most densely populated parts of the planet, I think Americans can manage in the NE Corridor.
Or perhaps you are suggesting that the Japanese are just better than Americans? They can do things that good old Uncle Sam can't manage? Such a patriot you are.
More people take the train in Japan only because the train here goes to more places that people want to go to. . .This isn't too difficult for you, I hope?
ACELA is really a slap in the face to the NEC. For twice the price of a regular ticket, it reduces the travel time from NY Penn Station to Boston South from 4:10 to 3:30. I've taken it and it was comfortable and better than a plane, but there is no reason it should take so long.
If America would actually fork over some money on things other than idiotic "wars" we could have a real system that would actually make money because it would be worth paying the price of a ticket.
The cost of upgrading th current rail system to a standard like that in Europe would be in the 10s of Billions if not higher. So this is the best we can do, and its pretty good for the infrasturcture we have. BOS to WAS is faster by Amtrak Regional and Acela than by car.
$10billion would buy Japanese-style elevated viaduct with noise abatement and new catenary for the entire Northeast Corridor and possibly much of the Southeast as well. As it is, what does $10billion get us? Five weeks worth of blowing things up in Iraq. This is why we can't have nice things!
$10 billion might buy the viaducts, but then you have to buy land to put them on, demolish the thousands of buildings that are in the way, build bridges over river, roads, and other tracks. Money currently better spent defending freedom.
Yup. Defending freedom so I can wait in line to have my belongings inspected by the government rather than sitting down on a proper high-speed train without the intrusiveness. $10 billion would completely solve the transportation problem for the NEC. In Spain 80% of people traveling Madrid-Sevilla take the high-speed train. We could eliminate traffic jams between DC and Boston with this technology.
Like I said, it would be more than 10 billion. The track itself would be about 10 billion. total cost would be astronomical.
Try selling a 250 billion dollar rail project to the liberal scum in DC. they would never consider it. They would rather give the money to some criminal mexicans who shouldn't be here anyways.
$250B? That buys a LOT of infrastructure! Like Maglev for the entire East Coast! That would save the US more oil than you will EVER get from Iraq...and is still less than half of the direct cost to taxpayers of the Iraq War to date.
"liberal scum"? Chill, CBass! You have it backwards. Fiscal conservatives are afraid to spend on public infrastructure, not liberals. Who is always trying to shut down Amtrak or privatize the Post Office? CBass, get a clue!
Try telling residents of these town that your building a railroad over they home they paid ALOT of money for. I am sure they'll agree(sarcasm). The only feasible ways through suburban areas are demolition of houses, and tunneling. Since we do not live in a socialist country (thank god) the government cannot take control of the homes and therefore that eliminates the demolition idea. So basically every urban area on the route requires a tunnel. Do you have any idea how expensive tunnels are?
Boston's big dig used tunnels and if you look at the numbers for those short 3 or 4 miles of tunnels cost 14.6 billion dollars, and took around 30 years to build. Thats just for small, short distances tunnels. Also the number has to be adjusted to today's dollar value, as much of that figure was spent in the 70's, 80's and early 90's.
Here in Maine, a vastly liberal state, we can't get anything done for the railroads. The state "lost" $28 million of FRA funding to expand the Downeaster,
to Freeport and Brunswick. The contract with the state said that the state would help fund the connection to those places and would connect them by the end of 2007. Guess what, the liberals lied, took the money and put it into some program that gives it away to the poor or some other useless social program.
The bottom line is, if liberals can't be trusted to build a small rail line that they prom ised they would fund, why would anyone trust them with a Multi-billion dollar one?
First, your difficulty in dealing with the corruption among the local yokels in your neighborhood is not my concern. . .it is yours.
Second, the Big Dig was (mis)managed by a private firm; Bechtel. Who got the no-bid contract to "rebuild Iraq"? Bechtel. What have they accomplished so far with the $billions given them fo that task? Nothing. Maybe you should look into that?
Third, for a project on this scale, you do it smart. You reconstitute the Army Corps of Engineers into a modern Civilian Corps of Engineers. To control corruption, you forbid any large scale subcontracting to private companies (like Bechtel; a company with legendary skills at making $billion from taxpayers disappear w/out a trace). You put the C.C.E. under the authority of an independent board of professionals answerable to but not controlled by Congress.
Third (continued): The ban on subcontracting to private companies is VERY important. It stops powerful companies (Like Bechtel, or, in your neck of the woods, Audley) from using their political clout to try to get their hands on the Civilian Corps of Engineers' operating budget.
Forth, building new infrastructure in the US is not only doable, it is essential for the country's long term prosperity. Whining about the difficulties is childish and achieves nothing.
Elevated viaducts ARE feasible and are used in Japan; hardly a Socialist country. In fact, the entire Joetsu Shinkansen is either tunnel or elevated viaduct, as is the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano to Kanazawa that is currently under construction.
Furthermore, properties are often seized by eminent domain in the US when new highways are built, ramps added to existing ones, roads are widened, airports expanded, etc. People get over it.
Wrong, CBass, you CAN just print more. Where do you think the money for the Iraq War is coming from?
Differences: Print $1 for bombs=$1 injected into the economy for wages+profits of the guy making the bomb and his employer. . .no other economic benefit. Print $1 for infrastructure and you still get the $1 injected into the economy in wages+profits, but you also get the infrastructure that businesses and people can use for more economic activity. That is worth more $s than bombs.
Those bombs are keeping you, me, and the rest of the free world alive. Thats more important than money.
What good is a rail system going to do if we are all killed by Islamic nut jobs?
Apparently you have not heard of this thing called inflation. when you keep printing money without increaseing the value of the backing for that currency (in this case the gold reserves) the value of each dollar goes down. look at the German mark before WW2. Thats why it was worthless.
CBass, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, and was not a partner in international terrorism. Anyone who persists in believing otherwise is a panicky MORON. Are you a moron? Do you grab the duct tape and plastic sheeting when the terror alert level goes to orange? Do you report your neighbor to the FBI when you find out he is a Muslim? There is currently NO threat to the US that justifies a $trillion military action or can even be dealt with by such an action. Take a deep breath. . .relax. . .
Gold standard, eh? Look, 500 characters is not enough to update your education on economics. Suffice it to say, printing money does not, in and of itself, generate inflation. Interestingly, investment in bombs and other items which do not circulate through the economy after their manufacture is much more inflationary than investment in durable goods that persist in the economic realm.
CBass: Al Qaeda is not going to go to Maine to kill you if the US gets out of Iraq. Building national infrastructure like a new rail network will not trigger massive inflation. The "free world" will not cease to be free if the US backs off on playing world cop for a little while.
I am not saying go isolationist, but just BACK THE FUCK OFF; get out of everyone's face, and chill for a decade or two. Invest in the US like like you actually care for the place. Can you do that?
Don't play I`net tough guy with me, asshole! I'll be in NE in September. If you want a showdown, we can have friends record it for YT. Set the time and place.
I don't understand the world? Why do I know the details of Japan's Shink network? Why do I think it is the 2nd when you still think it is the 1st of Apr? I AM IN THE WORLD! I'm not hiding in rural Maine. Test your knowledge of the world against me, ass!
Chilled? Good. The topic is investment in public transpo infrastructure. Your turn.
Furthermore, CBass, you are the one who keeps coming up with off-the-wall shit about gold standards, inflation, terrorist invasions and other such ludicrous garbage. Why don't YOU feel a need to defend such asininity in a discussion about cool rail infrastructure? Grow up, asshole!
CBass, check the news as of April 2, 2008. Mexicans AND land seizure by the US government in the same articles! The US is grabbing landowners' properties to build a fence to control illegal immigration!
That sorta puts your rant over illegals and your opposition to using eminent domain for infrastructure development at odds, doesn't it? Enjoy!
5 people were cars.
MarioKartWii64 6 months ago
Its a shame that the NE corridor and Acela trains are the only ones that turn a profit for Amtrak. Everything else they touch is just a black hole for money.
NycGuy2011 10 months ago
The last photo I ever got of a GG1 was at that same spot.
Dockshund 11 months ago
@Dockshund I miss those GG 1s! Wish I had taken more pictures of them. They were awesome.
Hendo56 11 months ago
The blobs painted on the Acela are an EMBARASSMENT !!
soshmed1 1 year ago
@soshmed1 I'm not a big fan of the paint scheme, either.
Hendo56 1 year ago
"Roars through" It's about the speed of the average Dutch intercity. Probably even a bit slower. If you want speed climb aboard the TGV.
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan With our system of interconnecting highways, Americans tend to use their cars to travel. Railroads have been neglected. Here in the states they are not that fast because they don't have the funding to update the rails. They have a lot of problems with breakdowns and running late, too. So I can imagine European trains run a lot faster, what with the acceptance of rapid transit over there.
Hendo56 1 year ago
@Hendo56 It's actually rather odd because we have those interconnecting motorways too (there is even a network of motorways labelled as E (Europe)-roads and both the motorways and the trains are absolutely clogged (at least here in the Netherlands but the same goes all over Western Europe).
With trains you have more of a guarantee here that you will be reasonably on time (particularly in France or Germany) as rush hour here is so bad that
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan you are almost sure that you're going to end up late at the office if you take the car. But then again.. in some parts of Europe (also of the Netherlands) we have yet another layer: buses - our socalled Interliner (bus) that will also take you across the country and connects you with more local public buses.
But the size of Europe in general is of course much smaller then the US and it's population density a lot higher.
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan The excellent rapid transit systems of Europe are often cited here as the way things could be done. The way we deal with traffic congestion? Leave earlier. On the weekend I can drive to work in 20 minutes. During the week it takes me 45 minutes to an hour. If we had a bus route that was fairly direct there, plus ran after 5, I'd take it. We have neither. But we need to do something to get more cars, and trucks, off the road.
Hendo56 1 year ago
@Hendo56 The problem is that more people think that way. I was the assistant of a lorry driver when I was 17/18 (doing all the paper work and helping with loading up stuff) and we left at around half past 3 in the morning and believe it or not: we usually ended up in traffic jams at around 5 , half past 5 in the morning so it's no real guarantee.
It would work a bit if there would be more developed transport network in the US (I have heard they have jams all day round)
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan and maybe try to upgrade the rail infrastructure (maybe also use more shipping in some areas--- we really use a lot of that for freight) so some trucks can be taken off the road.
What also could help is the latest development that we have around Eindhoven where they split local traffic from traffic that is passing through on the beltway.
There is a video about that here on youtube (A2 Randweg Eindhoven, NL) so that could also work a bit.
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan : "Betuweroute" Isn't it?
dionysos46 6 months ago
@dionysos46 Betuweroute isn't for high speed rail. But it was a disaster. Mired by bad government and private policies.
AmersfoortTristan 6 months ago
@AmersfoortTristan : Ah, OK, in fact it's the costly HSL Zuid, designed with ETCS European System "ERTMS level 2", except the fact... there's actually no high speed train compatible for opening the route!
Isn't it? 8-O
dionysos46 5 months ago
@dionysos46 Another nice costly event. The Belgians showed little signs of collaboration. Our government was inconsqeuent and downright bad in it's planning and the Italian company that is responsible for the train kept on stalling -- why I don't know but they were a disaster. I still think we should have gone with the Germans as they at least have the train, . Although we now have the train (Fyra) but I really haven't got a clue what they are up to.
AmersfoortTristan 5 months ago
Comment removed
AmersfoortTristan 5 months ago
@dionysos46 I reankly haven't got the faintest clue why they just didn't take the perfectly available Thalys (I have been in the thing and I loved it) and why they had to bother with privatising it in order to comform with "European standards" while simply building the line and letting the SNCF go all the way to Amsterdam would have been sufficient. And then we could have started with a HSL Oost as well and have the ICE go to Amsterdam now. (it goes there now but now in high-speed).
AmersfoortTristan 5 months ago
@dionysos46 For short: the entire project is a costly farce.
AmersfoortTristan 5 months ago
@AmersfoortTristan Usually between 5 am and 9 am it's very bad, and between 3:30 and 7pm it's bad. Other than that, you can usually move quickly on our beltways. During the summer when school lets out traffic diminishes a great deal.
Hendo56 1 year ago
@Hendo56 It seems to follow the same pattern as here. Althougn my uncle told me once (he visited California a couple of years ago) that there were day round traffic jams. Even after midnight. But then again that can differ from region to region as here the main conurbation and all roads leading to it get jammed in mornings but the rest of the country enjoys relatively peace and quiet.
AmersfoortTristan 1 year ago
@AmersfoortTristan You are right about being different from region to region. California's traffic is nothing like here! But you are right, some places, like Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York City, are ALWAYS crowded, no matter what time of day. I live in Maryland, and it thankfully is not like that here.
Hendo56 1 year ago
@kiwibrittie no dip sherlock. All of us fricken know.
cooldit1 1 year ago
ROAR!
TheDylanJoyce 1 year ago
Yes, that's true. She was walking trackside listening to her Ipod when she was struck. It clipped her and sent her body flying ahead to the side. She had a friend with her who was farther away from the tracks, and was not hurt.
Hendo56 1 year ago
super!
ralfovski 1 year ago
Kal- yeah, I think so, too. But they're still working on funding a bridge to go there.
Hendo56 2 years ago
Sucks how this thing takes almost 7 hours to reach Washington from Boston. I'm pretty sure that if it could complete the trip in 2 hours like it's suppose to do people wouldn't have a problem paying the $150 for the trip. Right now the Acela service is useless unless you just like being in a train.
fraklinc 2 years ago
Hopefully we'll get a nationwide network of lines dedicated strictly for Acela, and now it can run at its true unrestricted top speed
phantomlord54 2 years ago
About 3 weeks ago, a 14 year old student and another classmate went through a hole in the Amtrak fence to get to school about a mile from where this was filmed. They were walking along the tracks, wearing ipods. An Acela came up on them, and hit and killed one girl. It's stirred a big debate in the Baltimore area whether part of the blame rests with Amtrak, even though the girl was clearly walking on their property.
Hendo56 2 years ago
It seems to me the blame would go to (1) the girls! (as tragic as it may be), and (2) whoever's responsible for the fence
phantomlord54 2 years ago
Amtrak is responsible for the fence. But everytime they fix it, someone cuts a hole in it, they say.
Hendo56 2 years ago
Well then I guess it's time for cameras
phantomlord54 2 years ago
@Hendo56 it is true as well.
cooldit1 1 year ago
@phantomlord54 Why is that tragic? do dumb things, and dumb things happen. This whole society is always so stuck up on looking for someone to blame. Who are we blaming for BP? Is that fixing the spill?
ExodusFaces 1 year ago
@ExodusFaces Well, I do agree, but it's still tragic for her family...
Is that Exodus as in the band? You a fan?
phantomlord54 1 year ago
@phantomlord54 no, im part of a hip hop duo from baltimore called Facez, I used to be called Exodus until I came across some copyright issues. Im called Concept now
ExodusFaces 1 year ago
Her fault.
Kalphiter45 2 years ago
@Hendo56
It was reported that the victim was listening to her iPod at the time. If's that's true, I feel sorry for her, but that was a fatally dumb thing to do. No one to blame but herself. Antrak isn't qualified to address lack-of-parenting issues.
theGazzelle 1 year ago
nyce shot
nemesiss01 2 years ago
And look at the catenary system made out of wood! OH MY GOSH!
TrickyEmu 2 years ago
Actually, they're steel posts. They do look like wood, but they're not. The platform is wood, though.
Hendo56 2 years ago
@TrickyEmu out of wood? LOL. Don't worry...they're steel.
cooldit1 1 year ago
Intersections on a high speed rail track? This country is crazy!
TrickyEmu 2 years ago
Actually, this used to be the old Pennsylvania then Penn Central Railroad's North East Corridor. Back then it was primarily freight. Only after Amtrak took it over did it become predominately passenger trains. Still, Conrail did use it sometimes, and that's why there was an accident.
Hendo56 2 years ago
@TrickyEmu It's not crazy, it is call a lack of commitment. This country has no problem spending billions of dollars on bombers and fighter aircrafts, but it has a problem building basic infrastructures. It is better to kill people more efficiently than to live one's life more efficiently.
merakhagen 2 years ago
There was and acident here once
coolcatevan9 2 years ago
Actually it was in Chase, MD. The engineer and brakeman of a set of Conrail light engines were stoned, ignored stop signals and blocked the line. Amtrak #94 ran into them doing over 100 mph. I remember when it happened back in '87.
Hendo56 2 years ago
The cool thing about those trains is they are really fast and really quiet
CDCoasterdude 2 years ago 9
You are SO right! You can see why half the trains I miss! And I have a clear view down the track. But if I'm looking north, sure as heck one will sneak up from the south! And vice versa.
Hendo56 2 years ago
Oh, my goodness gracious! First of all, I've got a headache just reading the back and forth comments between...er...who again? hold on, I'll be right back...oh, yeah, pr0t0color and...hold on a minute...CBass1307...yeah, that's it! Holy mackerel! Hendo56, all you did was make a short video of a magnificent Acela train (not an ugly train, as 343kaka declared) zooming by in Middle River! I know exactly where it is by the way! See what you started!? LOL! Now, all it needs is dedicated tracks!
armoricain 2 years ago
Yeah, here I figured that this was a good way to let people who don't have access to the NE Corridor see the Acela go pass, and it turns into a discussion on world politics. Anyway, this is a good spot to watch Amtrak.
Hendo56 2 years ago
Yeah, so take that Europe/Japan, lol.
Timsierramist 2 years ago
The sad thing is that a lot of the track on the northeast corridor will never let the Acela do what it's meant for...sor of like a Ferarri in a city traffic jam.
ffairlane57 2 years ago 12
@ffairlane57 or a horse drawn M1A1 Abram tank. Has the fire power, but does not go anywhere.
merakhagen 2 years ago
this is italian fast train ;-)
/watch?v=98RlLdfWZws
320 Km/h
intersezioni 2 years ago
I'll say Amtrak was going at least 80 to 90MPH in this Video.
MarcelHall21 2 years ago
I live in Brussels, Belgium and from here I can take the high speed trains to Cologne, Amsterdam, Paris (and other French cities) and London! Kick your ass! And they're way faster than those trains
cheejn 2 years ago
Yes they are. But America has an extensive road network. I can drive anywhere along the Eastern Seaboard from Florida to Maine on one road- I-95. We also have lots of airlines that fly to all the major cities. While the passenger train was the way to go up to 1950, nowadays we drive or fly.
Hendo56 2 years ago
good luck on saving the earth with all that pollution! trains are really the solution to pollution.
cheejn 2 years ago
We Americans are wedded to our cars. It's a mindset. As long as gas remains cheap over here, alternate forms of travel won't be considered usually.
Hendo56 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i dont mean to argue with you or anything, but you ve just proven that america really is the problem to earth's pollution. with the huge amount of americans using their cars, earth is going down :-s america is a threat to the world, not to mankind, but to the environment
cheejn 2 years ago
Oh, America's done some good things to help the world over the past 200 some years. We just have this "See the USA in your Chevrolet" mindset.
Hendo56 2 years ago
First stop smelling your fucking shit everyday and then advice.
indianrailways 2 years ago
Um, maybe you can learn and find out America isn't the biggest polluter of the environment. And notice how global warming is not accellerating or really killing anything for that matter. China is most of the problem (being they produce a few hundred more metric tons of CO2 than the USA)
DeltaPhi79 2 years ago
@DeltaPhi79: China does indeed produce a little more CO2 than the US, but they also have a population of 1.3 billion. They produce more than four times LESS per capita.
The US has 5% the world's population and produces 20% of the CO2.
phaub 2 years ago
Europe has a better road network than the US has. Europe has higher speed limits and smoother roads. Take a look at some maps and learn. The USA's road system is a worn-out joke!
philglassfan 2 years ago
Gets us where we want to go. The condition of the roads vary state by state. Virginia's were great- South Carolina's the pits. But you're right in a way; we've got some out of whack priorities- spending so much of our money on helping other countries in the world instead of our own infrastructure.
Hendo56 2 years ago
Your life is a pathetic joke also. Doing some slave 9-5 job and eat, shit, fuck and sleep everyday like animals.
indianrailways 2 years ago
@indianrailways you're mom is a pathetic joke...lol owned.
cooldit1 1 year ago
@cooldit1 Why you fucking Americans are always restless, frustrated and live on depression pills? Did you also lose your job to a filthy slum dog? LOL Come to Himalayas and do Yoga dear pathetic fools. How is Obama? Did he send you relief cheque? LOL. He says will dig and come out of the hole. LOL
indianrailways 1 year ago
@indianrailways depression? I don't have depression dude. Obama can't do anything good. Obama cannot dig the US out of a hole. Dude...i was just joking with you. I'm very harsh with jokes sometimes...a little too harsh sometimes. I really am sorry about that. I just found the opportunity to make a joke back. You are right though...amtrak or shall i say amtrash does suck nuts. You are a bit restless yourself though...just saying. LOL.
cooldit1 1 year ago
@cooldit1
Pesky President Obama trying to infuse into the RR system that was depleted by past administrations.
beautifulboy33 1 year ago
philglassfan: 1: "BETTER" is your opinion and not a fact. 2: Our lines are a bit older so we can't really go much higher than 150MPH (which is fast enough. You don't NEED to go faster unless your country is enormous). And I think you need to learn and find out it's a RAIL system. A ROAD, unless you're retarded, is a street.
DeltaPhi79 2 years ago
I 95 has a gap around philly
buddybuddy0920 2 years ago
Swim the Schulykil!
Hendo56 2 years ago
I want to take the Acela when I go to the East Coast (from NY to Washington DC) are the tickets expensive?
panther0567 2 years ago
The tickets are quite expensive. From NY to DC in Business Class is at least $150, and in First Class possibly $220
arithebomb 2 years ago
great video mate 5stars
hornsandvids 2 years ago
No doubt. Our trains could go faster if the infrastructure got re-vamped. But that's not happening anytime soon.
Hendo56 2 years ago
i f***ing love taking the ACELA... a hell of a lot better than coach on the AMFLEET.... and man the first class on one of these babies... mmmmmmhhmmmhmhmmmhh!!
caffjunkie 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Acela sucks.
343kaka 3 years ago
What makes you say that?
Hendo56 3 years ago
I made a too short comment without a single argument, but i don't like it bechause when amtrak was testing european high speed trains the tracks in USA were too bad, resulting in Acela. A very ugly train too.
343kaka 3 years ago
Can't argue with that. US tracks can't handle the high speed trains like in Europe.
Hendo56 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
343kaka, your ugly and very idiotic.
BNSFDisneyZildjian 3 years ago
YOU'RE evidently not too smart. I mean, even a few minutes of browsing what the rest of the world has for its HSR will make you realize America's passenger rail system is a joke. We spend all this money on developing the system and then go and use old track, which limits our speed by literally 100+ MPH. And the Acela, which you evidently love, is using catenary lines that were built during the Great Depression. Yeah, that's progress. Go America.
statelypenguin 3 years ago
And our freight trains dominant your rail system
BNSFDisneyZildjian 3 years ago
Wait were you talking to me? Who is this "our" who dominates my rail system? BNSF? They don't dominate anywhere around me. Looking at their maps, they're all west of here by a few states.
Furthermore, what the hell does freight have to do with HSR? In an ideal (though absolutely unlikely situation in car-friendly America) they wouldn't even share ANY track. But yeah, you really got me.
statelypenguin 3 years ago
I agree with you Amtrak really needs to get their act together on some routes while others are fine. I was skiing in Colorado a few years ago and was going to take th California Zephyr back to Denver but I drove because it was 12 hours late. That was extra late but it was normal for it to be 2-3 hours late. A couple weeks ago I was there again and the Zephyr was on time 3 days in a row. It's improving but it has a long way to go on many routes. If I wasn't a train fan I don't think I'd ride it.
gp40mc 3 years ago
Lots of the commuter railroads are doing a good job though. Many are expanding. Amtrak is also due for some new equipment. The Budd Amfleets are 30 years old and I think the Superliners are around that too.
gp40mc 3 years ago
I agree with you totally. The situation with rail in America (like everything more or less), is tied to money. We one had one of the great passenger systems in the world. That was generations ago. Having said that, when a new political concensus is reached, and I think we are getting there quickly, we Americans tend to go from one extreme to another. I hate flying, and most everybody I know does too. Luckily I live in D.C. where we do have trains. I think we will see improvements soon.
dsindc 2 years ago
Well, I love all trains- freight and passenger. Let's be civil here, and agree to disagree. True, the catenary is old, but it still works. I used to sit along here in the pre-Amtrak days and watch the GG-1s go roaring by. They were 40 years old at the time, but they still looked magnificent.
Hendo56 2 years ago
I miss GG-1's! What a locomotive (and the sound too).
tripyramidslide 2 years ago
You got that right! They were awesome to watch thundering down the tracks pulling both freight and passengers.
Hendo56 2 years ago
You are incorrect, the catenaries were rebuilt for the Acela.
The northeast is densely settled. If you want to see new right-of-ways for 150mph+ travel, you are looking at eminent domain seizures of private land to do so. That is politically unpopular. Also unpopular is that rail funding is federal (nationwide), however rail by definition usually services major cities and hubs; meaning why would a citizen of North Dakota elect a pro-amtrak senator, when ND is not served?
Richthofen80 2 years ago
That's wrong. They rebuilt some, and I believe they have intentions to replace all catenaries, but they still utilize old lines.
And as for eminent domain, they do it with highways. And why would someone from Nebraska or Nevada or some other state vote for a pro-Interstate Senator when they have comparatively low miles of Interstate. A lot of Federally funded things are like this.
Besides, I'm not an advocate for Amtrak at all. Amtrak is terrible. It is a bad business model.
statelypenguin 2 years ago
Part 2: I'm all for the state built and ran, Federally funded system. And being that I live in Ohio and we just approved our "high speed rail" plans, I'm quite upset. Spending billions on a system that tops out at 79 mph just doesn't cut it. I wish we'd go with the California model (which is in turn the TGV model) and build new track outside of cities, use existing track in cities, and just go damn fast. Speed is what sells the trains.
statelypenguin 2 years ago
@Richthofen80 Amtrak always used to serve Minot, ND. Did they stop that service? Most mayors and county officials of the smaller destinations served by Amtrak are fierce advocates for maintaining Amtrak service.
HerxUtub 1 year ago
@BNSFDisneyZildjian hidin' something?
cooldit1 1 year ago
u suck
bmxboy2468 3 years ago
u suck
acelaboy123 3 years ago
343kaka speaks the truth, whether Americans want to believe it or not.
alphlife 3 years ago
I guess from an American point of view, the Acela is cool. Let's face it, we really haven't kept up with passenger train developments. Our national highway system makes us take to our cars. But I love riding the train.
Hendo56 3 years ago
why would someone say this is fake?
mase5701 3 years ago
Just being a nuisance. Happens sometimes.
Hendo56 3 years ago
hey beautifulboy, i lives in arbutus, and the acela blows by my house all the time, and when i`m free, i takes my folding chair, and sit by the tracks and watch the acela blows by those marc trains
zorro1955 3 years ago
@zorro1955 i've probably seen you before
cooldit1 1 year ago
Thank-you for sharing this video! I don't get to see ACELA trains living in the Midwest, so watching them in action on video is always a treat. You did an excellent job at capturing a beautiful passenger train in motion; many, many thanks.
musthavejava 3 years ago 6
@musthavejava don;t want to burst your bubble...it's an ugly thing.
cooldit1 1 year ago
Folks this is not a fake , my 4 year old son and I have spent many hours watching trains pass through this station. We enjoy hopping the Marc train here and traveling to Bawlmer and DC. This a very busy track along the NE corridor with MARC running M-F and Amtrak and NS running day and night.
This is not a fake- check out my videos from the same station.
beautifulboy33 3 years ago
They know it's not fake. They're just messing with me. If it continues I'll close down the comments.
Hendo56 3 years ago
@beautifulboy33 it's spelled Baltimore dude. Baltimorians do not say balmer.
cooldit1 1 year ago
@cooldit1
Gee thanks Hun for digging through all dem post just to insult me. You must be a real genuine Baltimoron eh?
beautifulboy33 1 year ago
not a fake...camera mounted on a tripod and shot
spradeep908 3 years ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
no, this is fake, I can see this is fake!
DeTellers 3 years ago
Um, afraid I'm not that good at making fakes. It is quite real.
Hendo56 3 years ago
@DeTellers your penis fake bitch
MrEiriku 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
fake
KevKev1995 3 years ago
What???
Hendo56 3 years ago
real
BXV2009 3 years ago 4
Great job Hendo56!!! Just a friendly reminder that the official name for the station you were at is called "Martin (Airport) Station" although it IS located in Middle River, not far from the intersection of Md. 43 and Md. 150 (Eastern Blvd.) and on a side note, not far from the trailer park from which I reside, and from where I can hear the passenger trains during the day and the freights very late at night.
LeroyBright 3 years ago 3
Right you are. It is the Martin Station. Thank you.
Hendo56 3 years ago
I have seen teh station via msn maps and I cant't believe this station exists in a country like US. It is probably the worst station I have ever seen.
merdaenorme 3 years ago
MARC stations are Maryland Commuter Stations. They are like bus stops. Behind me is a set of shelters to sit in. It's not a train station per se. But it is called a station, nonetheless.
Hendo56 3 years ago
Ok! thank you very much! Im sure that if that for public transportation all this aspects must be not only correct they must be perfect. If not people only choose public transport if its cheaper! Public transport needs improvements around the world!
merdaenorme 3 years ago
Most of the MARC Stations look just like bus stops. The thought is commuters won't have to wait there long. AMTRAK uses regular style train stations.
Hendo56 3 years ago
This is a train station? Where are the plataforms?
merdaenorme 3 years ago
I'm standing on it.
Hendo56 3 years ago
Sorry Hendo56.
Problem is that trains ALWAYS depend upon public investment to become really cool and useful. Look at the rail systems of every country on the planet and you will see that is the case. I'm trying to give people good arguments (in the details too) to use for promoting public expenditures on rail infrastructure development. CBass is giving the classical counter-arguments. I want to arm readers with effective defences against that.
Sorry if I soiled your thread...I'll shut up now.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
i work for amtrak, there is no way that the nec is gonna be rehabed annnyyyytime soon. we will all be long dead and forgoten by that time
rackemwells 3 years ago
Any good news that you can report coming from Amtrak?
globalgirl28 3 years ago
our trains are more busy than ever between dc and boston, i guess mainly between dc and philly. ridership is really important because the north east corridor is what keeps amtrak alive. our on time performance is i think 80%. if its on amtrak property they are hardly ever late. other than that, no big news i guess...
rackemwells 3 years ago
Think you guys can keep the talk on trains? I keep getting bombarded in my email about comments being posted on my video, and it's filling up my inbox. Thanks!
Hendo56 3 years ago
You are a Moron. You keep blaming me for the discussion staying off topic, yet I posted on topic just an hour ago, and you have not posted anything realted to railraods at all, in days.
CBass1307 3 years ago
CBass:"You are a Moron. You keep blaming me for the discussion staying off topic, yet I posted on topic just an hour ago, and you have not posted anything realted to railraods at all, in days."
Sorry. .. I have a job. . .weekend and I am back now. . .Read and respond at your pleasure.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Back to the original topic of a high speed rail system. BOS to WAS will not happen because of cost. I would love to see it happen, but it won't. other places it WILL happen. Places where there is room for it. There will be a HSRS in California at some point. The population density outside of major cities is low enough to allow it. There are already plans to build one in Las Vegas. Chicago will likely be the base of a midwestern HSRS at some point. Florida will likely have one.
CBass1307 3 years ago
The entire South eastern US is perfect for a HSRS. Major cities, little sub-urban sprawl between cities, and mostly flat terrain (at least in the populated areas).
CBass1307 3 years ago
Yeah, because the US is just SO MUCH MORE CROWDED THAN JAPAN!
If the Japanese can build state of the art rail infrastructure in one of the most densely populated parts of the planet, I think Americans can manage in the NE Corridor.
Or perhaps you are suggesting that the Japanese are just better than Americans? They can do things that good old Uncle Sam can't manage? Such a patriot you are.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
yes but more people take the train in japan than in the US
SHAVOISCOOL 3 years ago
Ummm, think about it. . .
More people take the train in Japan only because the train here goes to more places that people want to go to. . .This isn't too difficult for you, I hope?
pr0t0color 3 years ago
ACELA is really a slap in the face to the NEC. For twice the price of a regular ticket, it reduces the travel time from NY Penn Station to Boston South from 4:10 to 3:30. I've taken it and it was comfortable and better than a plane, but there is no reason it should take so long.
If America would actually fork over some money on things other than idiotic "wars" we could have a real system that would actually make money because it would be worth paying the price of a ticket.
MikeGinny 4 years ago
From what I've read, the Acela cannot go as fast as it was designed to because the rail can't take the strain.
Hendo56 3 years ago
The cost of upgrading th current rail system to a standard like that in Europe would be in the 10s of Billions if not higher. So this is the best we can do, and its pretty good for the infrasturcture we have. BOS to WAS is faster by Amtrak Regional and Acela than by car.
CBass1307 3 years ago
$10billion would buy Japanese-style elevated viaduct with noise abatement and new catenary for the entire Northeast Corridor and possibly much of the Southeast as well. As it is, what does $10billion get us? Five weeks worth of blowing things up in Iraq. This is why we can't have nice things!
pr0t0color 3 years ago
$10 billion might buy the viaducts, but then you have to buy land to put them on, demolish the thousands of buildings that are in the way, build bridges over river, roads, and other tracks. Money currently better spent defending freedom.
CBass1307 3 years ago
Yup. Defending freedom so I can wait in line to have my belongings inspected by the government rather than sitting down on a proper high-speed train without the intrusiveness. $10 billion would completely solve the transportation problem for the NEC. In Spain 80% of people traveling Madrid-Sevilla take the high-speed train. We could eliminate traffic jams between DC and Boston with this technology.
MikeGinny 3 years ago 2
Like I said, it would be more than 10 billion. The track itself would be about 10 billion. total cost would be astronomical.
Try selling a 250 billion dollar rail project to the liberal scum in DC. they would never consider it. They would rather give the money to some criminal mexicans who shouldn't be here anyways.
CBass1307 3 years ago
$250B? That buys a LOT of infrastructure! Like Maglev for the entire East Coast! That would save the US more oil than you will EVER get from Iraq...and is still less than half of the direct cost to taxpayers of the Iraq War to date.
"liberal scum"? Chill, CBass! You have it backwards. Fiscal conservatives are afraid to spend on public infrastructure, not liberals. Who is always trying to shut down Amtrak or privatize the Post Office? CBass, get a clue!
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Try telling residents of these town that your building a railroad over they home they paid ALOT of money for. I am sure they'll agree(sarcasm). The only feasible ways through suburban areas are demolition of houses, and tunneling. Since we do not live in a socialist country (thank god) the government cannot take control of the homes and therefore that eliminates the demolition idea. So basically every urban area on the route requires a tunnel. Do you have any idea how expensive tunnels are?
CBass1307 3 years ago
Boston's big dig used tunnels and if you look at the numbers for those short 3 or 4 miles of tunnels cost 14.6 billion dollars, and took around 30 years to build. Thats just for small, short distances tunnels. Also the number has to be adjusted to today's dollar value, as much of that figure was spent in the 70's, 80's and early 90's.
Here in Maine, a vastly liberal state, we can't get anything done for the railroads. The state "lost" $28 million of FRA funding to expand the Downeaster,
CBass1307 3 years ago
to Freeport and Brunswick. The contract with the state said that the state would help fund the connection to those places and would connect them by the end of 2007. Guess what, the liberals lied, took the money and put it into some program that gives it away to the poor or some other useless social program.
The bottom line is, if liberals can't be trusted to build a small rail line that they prom ised they would fund, why would anyone trust them with a Multi-billion dollar one?
CBass1307 3 years ago
First, your difficulty in dealing with the corruption among the local yokels in your neighborhood is not my concern. . .it is yours.
Second, the Big Dig was (mis)managed by a private firm; Bechtel. Who got the no-bid contract to "rebuild Iraq"? Bechtel. What have they accomplished so far with the $billions given them fo that task? Nothing. Maybe you should look into that?
Third: Next message for third.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Third, for a project on this scale, you do it smart. You reconstitute the Army Corps of Engineers into a modern Civilian Corps of Engineers. To control corruption, you forbid any large scale subcontracting to private companies (like Bechtel; a company with legendary skills at making $billion from taxpayers disappear w/out a trace). You put the C.C.E. under the authority of an independent board of professionals answerable to but not controlled by Congress.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Third (continued): The ban on subcontracting to private companies is VERY important. It stops powerful companies (Like Bechtel, or, in your neck of the woods, Audley) from using their political clout to try to get their hands on the Civilian Corps of Engineers' operating budget.
Forth, building new infrastructure in the US is not only doable, it is essential for the country's long term prosperity. Whining about the difficulties is childish and achieves nothing.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Elevated viaducts ARE feasible and are used in Japan; hardly a Socialist country. In fact, the entire Joetsu Shinkansen is either tunnel or elevated viaduct, as is the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Nagano to Kanazawa that is currently under construction.
Furthermore, properties are often seized by eminent domain in the US when new highways are built, ramps added to existing ones, roads are widened, airports expanded, etc. People get over it.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
You still have yet to say where the money is going to come from. You can't just print more.
CBass1307 3 years ago
Wrong, CBass, you CAN just print more. Where do you think the money for the Iraq War is coming from?
Differences: Print $1 for bombs=$1 injected into the economy for wages+profits of the guy making the bomb and his employer. . .no other economic benefit. Print $1 for infrastructure and you still get the $1 injected into the economy in wages+profits, but you also get the infrastructure that businesses and people can use for more economic activity. That is worth more $s than bombs.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Those bombs are keeping you, me, and the rest of the free world alive. Thats more important than money.
What good is a rail system going to do if we are all killed by Islamic nut jobs?
Apparently you have not heard of this thing called inflation. when you keep printing money without increaseing the value of the backing for that currency (in this case the gold reserves) the value of each dollar goes down. look at the German mark before WW2. Thats why it was worthless.
CBass1307 3 years ago
CBass, Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, and was not a partner in international terrorism. Anyone who persists in believing otherwise is a panicky MORON. Are you a moron? Do you grab the duct tape and plastic sheeting when the terror alert level goes to orange? Do you report your neighbor to the FBI when you find out he is a Muslim? There is currently NO threat to the US that justifies a $trillion military action or can even be dealt with by such an action. Take a deep breath. . .relax. . .
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Gold standard, eh? Look, 500 characters is not enough to update your education on economics. Suffice it to say, printing money does not, in and of itself, generate inflation. Interestingly, investment in bombs and other items which do not circulate through the economy after their manufacture is much more inflationary than investment in durable goods that persist in the economic realm.
See next. . .
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Next:
CBass: Al Qaeda is not going to go to Maine to kill you if the US gets out of Iraq. Building national infrastructure like a new rail network will not trigger massive inflation. The "free world" will not cease to be free if the US backs off on playing world cop for a little while.
I am not saying go isolationist, but just BACK THE FUCK OFF; get out of everyone's face, and chill for a decade or two. Invest in the US like like you actually care for the place. Can you do that?
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Your the one who keeps responding and goin further off topic. Don't blame because your a pansy ass liberal with no ability to understand the world.
CBass1307 3 years ago
Don't play I`net tough guy with me, asshole! I'll be in NE in September. If you want a showdown, we can have friends record it for YT. Set the time and place.
I don't understand the world? Why do I know the details of Japan's Shink network? Why do I think it is the 2nd when you still think it is the 1st of Apr? I AM IN THE WORLD! I'm not hiding in rural Maine. Test your knowledge of the world against me, ass!
Chilled? Good. The topic is investment in public transpo infrastructure. Your turn.
pr0t0color 3 years ago
Furthermore, CBass, you are the one who keeps coming up with off-the-wall shit about gold standards, inflation, terrorist invasions and other such ludicrous garbage. Why don't YOU feel a need to defend such asininity in a discussion about cool rail infrastructure? Grow up, asshole!
pr0t0color 3 years ago
CBass, check the news as of April 2, 2008. Mexicans AND land seizure by the US government in the same articles! The US is grabbing landowners' properties to build a fence to control illegal immigration!
That sorta puts your rant over illegals and your opposition to using eminent domain for infrastructure development at odds, doesn't it? Enjoy!
CBass=Owned! (by conservatives, no less!)
pr0t0color 3 years ago
It's kind of hard to look at tommorow's news....
There is a huge difference between taking land for National Defense than taking land for a railroad project.
I would love to see something built, but it won't happen in my or my children's lifetime
CBass1307 3 years ago