Comments on: High-Speed Rail in China http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:43:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Danny Bain http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-370654 Danny Bain Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:37:00 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-370654 China is leaps and bounds ahead of the US when it comes to mass transit. Having visited China for 3 weeks in December, 2009, I got a chance to take a round-trip voyage on their existing high speed rail from Hangzhou to Bejing. It was an overnight train where we got up to speeds of 175mph, but at times, much slower due to traffic and towns. Outside our cabin window, you could see their new high speed rail system being built. It was entirely built from elevated rails, away from auto and pedestrian traffic. Huge construction equipment had to be created for this new rail system. China is well on its way to a high speed rail network second to none! China is leaps and bounds ahead of the US when it comes to mass transit. Having visited China for 3 weeks in December, 2009, I got a chance to take a round-trip voyage on their existing high speed rail from Hangzhou to Bejing. It was an overnight train where we got up to speeds of 175mph, but at times, much slower due to traffic and towns. Outside our cabin window, you could see their new high speed rail system being built. It was entirely built from elevated rails, away from auto and pedestrian traffic. Huge construction equipment had to be created for this new rail system. China is well on its way to a high speed rail network second to none!

]]> By: Stefano http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-256351 Stefano Sat, 09 Jul 2011 10:14:56 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-256351 Beijing - Shanghai opened June 30, 2011 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing%E2%80%93Shanghai_high-speed_railway Beijing – Shanghai opened June 30, 2011

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing%E2%80%93Shanghai_high-speed_railway

]]> By: Nicholas O'Kane http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-178028 Nicholas O'Kane Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:48:20 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-178028 The Yichang-Wanzhou railway is high speed, and at least according to the map attached to the wikipedia page for the railway (Yiwan railway) it is part of the Chonqing-Wuhan railway. The total railway length is 377kn and it takes 2 hours to do the trip (average speed 189kph, which will almost definately exceed 200kph in some places). See http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-12/22/content_11736609.htm for details The Yichang-Wanzhou railway is high speed, and at least according to the map attached to the wikipedia page for the railway (Yiwan railway) it is part of the Chonqing-Wuhan railway.

The total railway length is 377kn and it takes 2 hours to do the trip (average speed 189kph, which will almost definately exceed 200kph in some places). See http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-12/22/content_11736609.htm for details

]]> By: Don http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-174306 Don Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:40:56 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-174306 ..Until the price of liquid petroleum based transportation fuel rises to the point that alternatives become economical. Natural gas and coal gasification, to name just two, can provide a stream of hydrocarbons to refineries that can be cracked, reformed and blended into any fuel you'd want. Flying is currently cheaper than a Greyhound ticket was 30 years ago (inflation adjusted). Some increase in cost will just slow the growth of air passenger traffic a bit. The sky is not falling. It's just rain. ..Until the price of liquid petroleum based transportation fuel rises to the point that alternatives become economical. Natural gas and coal gasification, to name just two, can provide a stream of hydrocarbons to refineries that can be cracked, reformed and blended into any fuel you’d want.

Flying is currently cheaper than a Greyhound ticket was 30 years ago (inflation adjusted). Some increase in cost will just slow the growth of air passenger traffic a bit.

The sky is not falling. It’s just rain.

]]> By: Don http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-174303 Don Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:32:04 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-174303 It CAN share track, but in the US, will the ever FRA allow it? The FRA is already the primary reason most of the $8B to be spent on HSR and HrSR is still sitting in DC. Even with the advocacy of Obama, Biden and LaHood, the FRA won't budge and approve deals already done between the states and the railroads. Mixing HSR with conventional traffic in terminal/urban areas makes HUGE sense, but I'm not optimistic it will ever happen here. Sigh.... It CAN share track, but in the US, will the ever FRA allow it? The FRA is already the primary reason most of the $8B to be spent on HSR and HrSR is still sitting in DC. Even with the advocacy of Obama, Biden and LaHood, the FRA won’t budge and approve deals already done between the states and the railroads.

Mixing HSR with conventional traffic in terminal/urban areas makes HUGE sense, but I’m not optimistic it will ever happen here. Sigh….

]]> By: Jeffrey Ang http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-174126 Jeffrey Ang Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:03:11 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-174126 Americans are a bunch of (mostly) pathetic sore losers. Americans are a bunch of (mostly) pathetic sore losers.

]]> By: Sepiastar http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-153459 Sepiastar Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:53:16 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-153459 My sentiments exactly. The US government functions to serve corporate interests, thus, our funds are for DEFENSE only....Too bad other emerging and industrialized nations will far surpass us if we don't transform our mindset and stop subscribing to the notions of yesteryear. My sentiments exactly. The US government functions to serve corporate interests, thus, our funds are for DEFENSE only….Too bad other emerging and industrialized nations will far surpass us if we don’t transform our mindset and stop subscribing to the notions of yesteryear.

]]> By: Sepiastar http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-153456 Sepiastar Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:47:33 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-153456 You're obviously living under the delusional guise of American exceptionalism. We have transitioned into a global society and you can't "mark" your superiority with achievements from long lost years. America has centralized their resources on pre-emptive wars and defense (ie..ineffective stealth fighter jets) as other industrialized nations are investing in advanced rail technology, research and development, modernized infrastructure projects and technical advancements to promote efficiency in their healthcare systems. Your mentality impedes the progress of our nation if we're going to compete globally in the 21st century. Instead of borrowing trillions of dollars from China to wage two unproductive wars, America should have initiated a modern day revolution in its major industries including transportation, education, healthcare, energy, infrastructure, etc... You’re obviously living under the delusional guise of American exceptionalism. We have transitioned into a global society and you can’t “mark” your superiority with achievements from long lost years. America has centralized their resources on pre-emptive wars and defense (ie..ineffective stealth fighter jets) as other industrialized nations are investing in advanced rail technology, research and development, modernized infrastructure projects and technical advancements to promote efficiency in their healthcare systems. Your mentality impedes the progress of our nation if we’re going to compete globally in the 21st century. Instead of borrowing trillions of dollars from China to wage two unproductive wars, America should have initiated a modern day revolution in its major industries including transportation, education, healthcare, energy, infrastructure, etc…

]]> By: Stefan Stackhouse http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-152820 Stefan Stackhouse Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:34:41 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-152820 The USA never will build a HSR network. We'll just keep flying until the price of aviation fuel goes up and the value of the dollar and most people's incomes goes down to the point where few can afford to fly and the airline system collapses. Then the US will crumble into a 3rd world country where hardly anyone is able to or can afford to travel anywhere. How we got that way will undoubtedly be a great way to occupy one's thoughts as one is digging potatoes in one's front yard. The USA never will build a HSR network. We’ll just keep flying until the price of aviation fuel goes up and the value of the dollar and most people’s incomes goes down to the point where few can afford to fly and the airline system collapses. Then the US will crumble into a 3rd world country where hardly anyone is able to or can afford to travel anywhere.

How we got that way will undoubtedly be a great way to occupy one’s thoughts as one is digging potatoes in one’s front yard.

]]> By: robert http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/01/12/high-speed-rail-in-china/#comment-152802 robert Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:40:54 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.wordpress.com/?p=512#comment-152802 you seriously overstate the case: it is easier to plan to build a new rail network when you have a population of a billion people, the majority of whom live in the eastern part of the country; plus, the chinese can just take any land they want on which to put the tracks, whereas in the eastern US, finding the land to build out a high speed rail network, with its requirement for long turns, is very, very difficult if not impossible. go back to reporting local crime statistics. you seriously overstate the case:

it is easier to plan to build a new rail network when you have a population of a billion people, the majority of whom live in the eastern part of the country; plus, the chinese can just take any land they want on which to put the tracks, whereas in the eastern US, finding the land to build out a high speed rail network, with its requirement for long turns, is very, very difficult if not impossible.

go back to reporting local crime statistics.

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