Houston to Dallas in 40 Minutes

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Yea and never-mind that airports are used to haul freight all over the world.

Just ask the Port of Dallas about that one.

I doubt much freight will be hauled on this fancy train.

To add, never mind these airports serve a military function as well as the private commercial airlines serve a military and defense function. Also never mind that the vendors and airlines themselves support the cost of day to day operations...never mind any of that.

Next time theres a need for global troop and support machines to be moved, perhaps the fix based highspeed train can do the job.

[MidtownCoog]

And they serve general aviation pilots like me, too.

And don't forget the landing fees airlines pay.

[Saddleman]

Why can't we all be civil?

[RedScare]

To add, never mind these airports serve a military function as well as the private commercial airlines serve a military and defense function.

Good point. By serving as a terrorist magnet, these airlines keep our malls, cafes and Starbucks safe from harm. We should give them a medal....or maybe just an interest free loan.

[TheNiche]

Yea and never-mind that airports are used to haul freight all over the world.

Just ask the Port of Dallas about that one.

I doubt much freight will be hauled on this fancy train.

Actually, it would be immensely convenient (for Houston at the very least) to use the TGV for USPS freight. Bear in mind that Metro's intermodal terminal will be within about a mile of the main post office. Postal freight is also unique in that what is being transported is information as opposed to production or bulk goods. With bulk goods, it really doesn't matter how fast they get there, so long as the cost per mile is kept at a minimum, because every shipment is the same. With information, speed is of the utmost importance.

But your point is moot anyway...no one on this thread has advocated the closure of airports.

[MidtownCoog]

Excellent point Red. We need security at your fancy train depot.

Madrid: Train bombs kill 186 in Spain

London: July London underground bombings

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Good point. By serving as a terrorist magnet, these airlines keep our malls, cafes and Starbucks safe from harm. We should give them a medal....or maybe just an interest free loan.

A little early to be off the deep end, no?

[CDeb]

Y'all have gone retarded.

Can someone name a road built by Ford?

Not by Ford, but by FordS (and Chevys, Dodges and Toyotas, too). Through gasoline taxes and registration fees, the roads are paid for by the road users themselves.

Do user fees pay for airports?

[MidtownCoog]

Do user fees pay for airports?

Yes. Check your ticket stub.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles...talker0324.html

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Actually, it would be immensely convenient (for Houston at the very least) to use the TGV for USPS freight. Bear in mind that Metro's intermodal terminal will be within about a mile of the main post office. Postal freight is also unique in that what is being transported is information as opposed to production or bulk goods. With bulk goods, it really doesn't matter how fast they get there, so long as the cost per mile is kept at a minimum, because every shipment is the same. With information, speed is of the utmost importance.

WHAT?!?!?!?

[TheNiche]

And they serve general aviation pilots like me, too.

Then you should be very happy with a Texas TGV proposal. It would reduce the amount of runway congestion at IAH and especially at Hobby, freeing up plenty of capacity for general aviators like yourself (as well as for cargo and military operations).

[Pumapayam]

Yes. Check your ticket stub.

Sheesh, we have so many fees, 9-11 fee, airport fee, fuel surcharges.

[TheNiche]

WHAT?!?!?!?

Does it surprise you that mail is dissimilar to widgets?

[RedScare]

This is probably a question better suited for pineda, but does anyone know how the high speed rail component of Rick Perry's infamous TTC is to be utilized? Is the land to be leased to a private entity, or sold?

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Then you should be very happy with a Texas TGV proposal. It would reduce the amount of runway congestion at IAH and especially at Hobby, freeing up plenty of capacity for general aviators like yourself (as well as for cargo and military operations).

Time to don the black dress and read the eulogy. This dog you are beating wont hunt

[TheNiche]

Time to don the black dress and read the eulogy. This dog you are beating wont hunt

Look, just explain your position. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But how am I supposed to be a fair judge of the issue if all you tell me is that I should know better in between personal insults directed at Red and I? I don't think we're being unreasonable, here. I want to know why you think that we're so far off! Tell us, dammit!

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

Look, just explain your position. If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. But how am I supposed to be a fair judge of the issue if all you tell me is that I should know better in between personal insults directed at Red and I? I don't think we're being unreasonable, here. I want to know why you think that we're so far off! Tell us, dammit!

[RedScare]

From Wikipedia...

Troll

"In Internet terminology, a troll is someone who intentionally posts derogatory or otherwise inflammatory messages about sensitive topics in an established online community such as an online discussion forum to bait users into responding."

[CDeb]

Yes. Check your ticket stub.

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles...talker0324.html

No, they HELP pay.

[RedScare]

This is a map of routes either under study or considered potentially feasible for high speed rail by the Federal Railroad Administration.

The only 2 that I am aware that are actively studying the issue are the San Diego to Sacramento route and the Tampa/St. Pete to Orlando/Port Canavaral route.

[dfwcre8tive]

http://www.thsrtc.com/

Here's a recent newsletter from October 2006:

http://www.thsrtc.com/uploads/thsrtc%20oct...0newsletter.pdf

2006 has been excellent year for THSRTC. The Corporation has had two very successful Quarterly Meetings on February 17 at Hill College in Hillsboro and May 19 at DFW International Airport hosted by Dallas County. In addition, the Annual Meeting of the THSRTC was held in conjunction with the 9th Annual Transportation Summit in Irving, Texas. With the City of Irving being one of the newest members of THSRTC, the meeting provided an excellent opportunity for members to interact and discuss the future of HSR in Texas. In July a fact finding mission to France to study the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) system was completed. Furthermore, the strong support and dedicated membership of American and Continental Airlines has raised the commitment to high speed rail in Texas.

[RedScare]

Interesting. Could this be the airline involvement that kingkirbythegreat alluded was needed way back in post #37?

I notice a few dreamers in the membership, such as former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels as Chairman, and Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn in the Senate Caucus. Clearly, there is little support for this kind of thing in Texas. I mean, who listens to THOSE losers?

[MidtownCoog]

AA and CO would join just to spite SWA.

No Luv lost there.

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

AA and CO would join just to spite SWA.

No Luv lost there.

Good one

[Houston19514]

Not by Ford, but by FordS (and Chevys, Dodges and Toyotas, too). Through gasoline taxes and registration fees, the roads are paid for by the road users themselves.

Do user fees pay for airports?

Glad you asked. Yes, they do. And user fees pay for Air Traffic Control as well.

[zaphod]

Building high speed rail in texas would be different than building it anywhere else. Maybe it would make sense to think outside the box for once

why not multiple stations in an urban area? Special trains that can carry cars? Stations with rental cars and parking like airports? These might be absolutely stupid ideas but they still warrant investigation

Trying to build a system just like eurostar or the shinkansen is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

[Houston19514]

No, they HELP pay.

You may be technically correct on that. But the user fees pay the vast majority of the costs, and the rest of the money is generated by other airport activities (e.g. retail space rent, rent and fees from rental car companies, etc.) At least in the case of Houston, the airports are not supported by any general tax money.

[dfwcre8tive]

Building high speed rail in texas would be different than building it anywhere else. Maybe it would make sense to think outside the box for once

why not multiple stations in an urban area? Special trains that can carry cars? Stations with rental cars and parking like airports? These might be absolutely stupid ideas but they still warrant investigation

Trying to build a system just like eurostar or the shinkansen is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

Something like the Megarail idea?

[Houston19514]

...never mind all the bond issues put out by various municipalities to expand their airports and the highways and transit built by local, state, and federal agencies to provide airport access.

Or for that matter, the recently-passed Proposition G. There, Houston1stWord, now that I've provided a link to information that is not my own, will you please count me as a dumbass and explain your position?

But who pays back the bond issues? In most cases (and certainly in Houston's case) they are not paid back with general tax revenues, but are paid with airport user fees and other airport revenue.

The recently passed Prop G proves nothing. All that did was remove the airport system from the revenue restrictions imposed on the city government. It made no sense to apply revenue restrictions to the airport system because all of their revenue is self-generated, NOT taken out of general tax revenues.

There is a small subsidy implicit here, of course, in that the airports have access to the government bond issues, which will get them a better interest rate. If that's all that you have in mind for a TGV system, I'd be all for it. Establish an railroad authority to build the infrastructure with proceeds from a bond issue and then recoup the costs out of user fees. The problem with that is, at least as of the early 90's when the Texas TGV was seriously attempted, even with that level of subsidy the project was not feasible.

[RedScare]

Building high speed rail in texas would be different than building it anywhere else. Maybe it would make sense to think outside the box for once

why not multiple stations in an urban area? Special trains that can carry cars? Stations with rental cars and parking like airports? These might be absolutely stupid ideas but they still warrant investigation

Trying to build a system just like eurostar or the shinkansen is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

zaphod, read the link that njjeppson posted. You will see that some of the members are thinking that way. For instance, the City of Irving is now a member. The biggest airlines operating out of DFW and IAH are members. Also, read the link I posted about the Tampa/Orlando route in Florida. It shows links to the airports.

While I don't see trains carrying cars as a possibility, ample parking and car rental would be a given. No one is proposing dropping European trains into US cities. They ARE studying adapting European transportation solutions to US needs. In those areas where large cities are within reasonable distances of each other, it may be feasible. At least as important, all of those midsize cities in between the two big cities are looking for ANY transportation other than cars and busses. Last time I checked, Southwest didn't fly to Waco, Bryan/College Station, or Killeen.