High Speed Rail

[arche_757]

High speed trains in Europe run to most large cities -- which in Germany's case is anywhere from 100,000 people to several million(those cities have multiple train stations). Highspeed works in Europe because things are closer together - and driving isnt neccessary - and even harder to do than taking the train. Although Deustche Bahn isnt cheap and neither is TGV. Not the high-speed network atleast.

For highspeed to work over here it would have to be something of a novelty. Ie.. a train from LA to Seattle - with stops in Monterey, San Fran, Napa, Crater Lake, Portland, and then Seattle. Texans wont commute via rail - because it would take just as long if not longer to commute from Dallas to Houston (when compared to flying) - and it would probably cost more to use (Southwest is pretty cheap)- since the infrastructure isnt there to handle highspeed rail and everything (stations, service facilities, local repair people -- stationed in Buffalo, ect......) would have to be installed. Talking about major money commitment.

Although gas prices arent going to be going down anytime soon.

[editor]

Japan's high-speed trains aren't cheap, either. Flying is much cheaper, but the train is faster because you don't have to go from the airport to the city -- it just drops you off in the city center.

[ecal_in_Taipei]

Japan's high-speed trains aren't cheap, either. Flying is much cheaper, but the train is faster because you don't have to go from the airport to the city -- it just drops you off in the city center.

Now would have been a good time to have high speed trains. It would have given people a third option and probably could have bussed just as many people faster out of town then the airports could.