China Bullet Train Derails

[Raccon]

[...] - I certainly found the London Underground to be rather disagreeable if bearable. Perhaps the Underground has a fancier electronic ticketing system than NY Commuter Rails, but I really didn't notice. I personally would have preferred the Brits spend some of that public money on air conditioning for the cars.

Perhaps it would be fairer to compare the Tube to the NY subway.

[HongKongFoot]

Yes Silicon Valley:

SamTrans.com - home

caltrain.com

Between Marin County/Solano County to Alameda County or San Francisco where rail roads are not wise (over large bodies of water) people take the ferry.

http://www.goldengateferry.org/schedules/

A train between SoCal and NorCal is stupid and a waste of tax payers dollars. It takes about 45 Mins to a hour to get between SoCal and NorCal (High Population Areas) by plane. How much faster do you want to travel?

Spending a few billion on a MagLev that no one will use is pointless. I suppose you dont take into account that there are large buildings/skyscrapers in downtown LA and in between?

Where you going to put the train station? Hemet? Wasco?

Silicone Valley? Actually, I think that one is in Southern California

But of course you are correct - and despite what a few posters seem to be claiming, I've ridden municipal and regional trains in the various parts of the country, and I've found them all to be just fine (not that another $2 trillion of infrastructure investment wouldn't make them shinier, but who cares), and particularly in comparison to other countries - I certainly found the London Underground to be rather disagreeable if bearable. Perhaps the Underground has a fancier electronic ticketing system than NY Commuter Rails, but I really didn't notice. I personally would have preferred the Brits spend some of that public money on air conditioning for the cars.

[Freetrader]

Perhaps it would be fairer to compare the Tube to the NY subway.

Agree. Still, the NY subway is air conditioned!

[Freetrader]

A train between SoCal and NorCal is stupid and a waste of tax payers dollars. It takes about 45 Mins to a hour to get between SoCal and NorCal (High Population Areas) by plane. How much faster do you want to travel?

Spending a few billion on a MagLev that no one will use is pointless. I suppose you dont take into account that there are large buildings/skyscrapers in downtown LA and in between?

Where you going to put the train station? Hemet? Wasco?

My point was that you wrote "Silicone" not "Silcon"...

But you are right - in fact, the only thing that could make the Nor Cal-So Cal line more than just an interesting experiment in spending public money might be if they developed a system that allowed people to put their cars on the train, because if it's i.) drive to the station, ii.) find a place to park, iii.) ride train, and iv.) find a rental car at destination...you haven't saved any time or convenience.

Perhaps they could load cars on the train like they do in the Swiss mountain passes or the Chunnel...but then even if you could get a bullet train to load cars the passenger density would be a lot lower so either ticket prices would be sky-high or you'd be pouring taxpayer money down the trough just so you could match China's ability to waste 'the People's' money.

[gilleshk]

Personally, I don't think the urban public transport in large cities is any superior in Europe.

[gilleshk]

My point was that you wrote "Silicone" not "Silcon"...

Perhaps they could load cars on the train like they do in the Swiss mountain passes or the Chunnel...but then even if you could get a bullet train to load cars the passenger density would be a lot lower so either ticket prices would be sky-high or you'd be pouring taxpayer money down the trough just so you could match China's ability to waste 'the People's' money.

America has no trouble matching anyone in wasting taxpayers money. Pretty hard to justify having a military budget that is larger than the rest of the world combined with all kinds of toys used to kill people.

Considering the massive government debt and deficit, you're hardly in a position to flout the US as being being fiscally responsible. Which is one more reason not to waste any more on a white elephant...

[HongKongFoot]

I put Silicone not Silicon as a pun due to all the fake boobs in the valley I have seen. 90 Pound, 5 foot 2 Vietnamese girl with DD's yeah, those are real alright, uh huh...

My point was that you wrote "Silicone" not "Silcon"...

[gilleshk]

Coming from a guy that claimed to work for the justice department and couldn't spell homicide, I would take this lame attempt a humor lightly. I'd wager that his first thought was to write something like Seeleecawn

[virago]

Dude, do you work for the 50 Cent Party or something? If you dont know what it is, ask your Chinese born wife, she will know.

50 Cent Party - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks. I am already a member.

Oh, BTW, if you see me talking to my wife about China you would think I am some kind of dissident.

Granted the fast trains have some problems (and major ones) but the government will get over it. Outside the fast trains (300kms ones) there is a good and reliable 150km system that is a pleasure to travel on.

Sometimes I think the rail system is there to keep the populous happy and content so there is no need to revolt. And probably the reason why the government has invested heavily.

[gilleshk]

I doubt that the China government officials spend too much time trying to figure out ways of keeping the populace(I'll assume that's what you meant to write). China is trying to build an image and a high speed train fits that well.