Comments on: High-Speed Rail is Not Pork

By: OceanRailroader

OceanRailroader — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:29:27 +0000

I remember hearing on several websites that he is now behind Desert Xpress vs the maglv idea.

By: My2010Vote

My2010Vote — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:56:30 +0000

Florida SCUM-RAIL is nothing but pork. Floridians have voted it down, but the political RINOs (impersonating conservatives) are giving CSX free tracks – this is political corruption at its best. The studies prove the ridership will not be adequate to justify this pork project. Congressman John Mica has a close alliances with CSX and Gov Crist has always been a RINO. These so-called conservatives believe in creating jobs by increasing the size of government and increasing taxes. This is what the GOP stands for…….what a bunch of hypocritical SCUM-RAILERS. They will not be re-elected.

By: Yonah Freemark

Yonah Freemark — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:26:41 +0000

Jack and Davartne -
I’m not sure what about “the bill has literally no mention of any Los Angeles-Las Vegas rail line” you don’t get. The Department of Transportation is an executive agency, not a legislative one. Harry Reid does not control the Department, Ray LaHood, a Republican, working under President Obama, does.

By: davartne

davartne — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:24:24 +0000

HSR might be needed buy it’s not stimulus, as a Republican and I can tell you way Repub’s don’t want it …. HARRY REID. Period.

WE could use HSR between population centers like Washington and NYC or Chicago and St Louis something that made sense.

But Disneyland and Vegas is just pork and you know it.

By: jack maverick

jack maverick — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:17:52 +0000

“The problem is, the bill has literally no mention of any Los Angeles-Las Vegas rail line. Though such a project would be considered along with every other rail project, the $8 billion would go directly to a federal grant program and decision-makers in the Transportation Department would consider such a line along with the many others that are likely to submit applications.”

And you don’t think those “decision makers in the Transportation Department” are in Harry Reid’s pocket? Grow up and join the real world. In Vegas terms, I’ll bet you dimes to dollars that $8 billion does indeed get committed to build the pony express from L.A. to Vegas. What?, you think Reid HAND-WROTE that provision into the bill because he cares about NATIONWIDE high-speed rail? – Don’t make me laugh.

By: Yonah Freemark

Yonah Freemark — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:26:11 +0000

Froggie -
I think you’re right, for true high-speed rail, which has proven profitable in other countries. Regional rail will probably continue to need operating assistance. This doesn’t mean, however, that private companies should run the trains, whether profitable or not… there’s no reason that the government shouldn’t take in a little profit on high-speed rail.

The government is going to have to take the leadership role and the financial burden on the construction of rail lines, of course.

By: Froggie

Froggie — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:21:06 +0000

Arline bailouts notwithstanding, I could see Federal funding for rail infrastructure as appropriate, but not for operations. That puts it on par with the highways (not sure if Greyhound is subsidized, but the trucking companies themselves aren’t), and the airlines, as the Feds (though to be fair, via ticket fees) fund airport improvements (again, bailouts notwithstanding).

By: The Lexington Streetsweeper

The Lexington Streetsweeper — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 03:12:13 +0000

If the HSR process is handled correctly and the Midwest Corridor begins work soon, the State of Ohio could vote out House Minority Leader John Boehner due to his voting record and we would all be better off

It has always struck me as strange, that companies could start up new airlines but not a HSR project, or that the Feds will subsidize airports and highways but not rail in any form

By: Avi

Avi — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:58:27 +0000

John Mica is pro-rail, anti-Amtrak. In his ideal world the country would be covered by HSR all profitably run by private companies.

By: JP

JP — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:54:02 +0000

More likely than LA-LV would be LA-SF, which already has secured partial funding from California due to Prop 1A. As others have pointed out, LA-LV isn’t even listed as a HSR corridor, so isn’t currently eligible for any of the stimulus funding.