<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Public transit will be necessary for CO2 reductions]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by Matt G http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/ Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:42:24 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/1 As a nice bonus

With current security restrictions, riding rail could be faster than air travel for even intra-state travel.  

Example: Currently it takes about 3.5 hours to take the train from Seattle to Portland (at a liesurely 50mph, assuming they aren't late), 3 hours to drive (assuming no traffic), or 50 minutes to fly.  Of course with flying you have to get to the airport an hour early, making this 2 hours.  Add to that time to get out to the airport and then back from the airport on the other side, since airports are never located downtown (unlike rail stations).  I generally consider a plane trip to Portland to take about 3 hours thanks to these headaches.

Now, if we built some standard fast rail such as England's 225's we could reduce the rail time down to 1.5 hours.  Or we could (dare to dream) copy Shanghai's Maglev and get there in 50 minutes without needing to add the time for security and with leaving right from downtown Seattle.

]]> As a nice bonus

With current security restrictions, riding rail could be faster than air travel for even intra-state travel.  

Example: Currently it takes about 3.5 hours to take the train from Seattle to Portland (at a liesurely 50mph, assuming they aren't late), 3 hours to drive (assuming no traffic), or 50 minutes to fly.  Of course with flying you have to get to the airport an hour early, making this 2 hours.  Add to that time to get out to the airport and then back from the airport on the other side, since airports are never located downtown (unlike rail stations).  I generally consider a plane trip to Portland to take about 3 hours thanks to these headaches.

Now, if we built some standard fast rail such as England's 225's we could reduce the rail time down to 1.5 hours.  Or we could (dare to dream) copy Shanghai's Maglev and get there in 50 minutes without needing to add the time for security and with leaving right from downtown Seattle.

]]> Comment #2 by danielbell http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/ Mon, 12 Nov 2007 09:58:36 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/2 Ride the rails

On my recent trip to greenbuild in chicago from the bay area, I took a train ride from Iowa into Chicago. It was lovely, compared with the flights I took.
Steel on steel is much more efficient than rubber on concrete. Congress and republicans in particular have been systematically underfunding Amtrak for years. We need high speed trains in this country so that flights aren't the only practical solution to cross-continent travel. A train ride from the bay area to chicago would take over 50 hours. That's a lot of lost opportunity cost for an hourly worker like myself.

We need high speed trains in the major corridors between cities and more intra-metropolitan trains. Lets install some light rails in our HOV lanes and get commuters to park and ride. Where are the rail centered developments? The friend who stayed with in chicago lived directly next to an el train and it was fantastic for mobility, I could bike or train or combo those to any place I wanted in the city with no problem.

wiserearth.org/user/danielbell

]]> Ride the rails

On my recent trip to greenbuild in chicago from the bay area, I took a train ride from Iowa into Chicago. It was lovely, compared with the flights I took.
Steel on steel is much more efficient than rubber on concrete. Congress and republicans in particular have been systematically underfunding Amtrak for years. We need high speed trains in this country so that flights aren't the only practical solution to cross-continent travel. A train ride from the bay area to chicago would take over 50 hours. That's a lot of lost opportunity cost for an hourly worker like myself.

We need high speed trains in the major corridors between cities and more intra-metropolitan trains. Lets install some light rails in our HOV lanes and get commuters to park and ride. Where are the rail centered developments? The friend who stayed with in chicago lived directly next to an el train and it was fantastic for mobility, I could bike or train or combo those to any place I wanted in the city with no problem.

wiserearth.org/user/danielbell

]]> Comment #3 by amazingdrx http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/ Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:27:05 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/3 Tubes

Light electric rail in tubes running in the freeway median is the hot setup.  Regular rail is fine for freight, but to compete with air travel you need high speeds.  Going 200 mph in a tube with no obstructions or inclement weather on the electric rails would be safe and easy.

The electrical contact is never interfered with by water or animals on the track.  That way the trains can be renewably powered.  No GHG emitted with solar panels mounted on the sunny side of the tubes feeding the renewable grid that feeds back to the trains when the sun isn't shining.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> Tubes

Light electric rail in tubes running in the freeway median is the hot setup.  Regular rail is fine for freight, but to compete with air travel you need high speeds.  Going 200 mph in a tube with no obstructions or inclement weather on the electric rails would be safe and easy.

The electrical contact is never interfered with by water or animals on the track.  That way the trains can be renewably powered.  No GHG emitted with solar panels mounted on the sunny side of the tubes feeding the renewable grid that feeds back to the trains when the sun isn't shining.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

]]> Comment #4 by racc http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/ Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:41:43 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/4 Not Nearly Enough Money

The $1.9 billion per year is not enough to make much of a difference at at and is just a drop in the bucket compared to federal expenditures on highways. Just the high-speed rail in California from San Diego to San Francisco is estimated to be $40 billion.

The federal government needs to divert all funding from highways to high-speed rail and public transit to make up for the years of underfunding. Spending on highways just increases ghg emissions

]]> Not Nearly Enough Money

The $1.9 billion per year is not enough to make much of a difference at at and is just a drop in the bucket compared to federal expenditures on highways. Just the high-speed rail in California from San Diego to San Francisco is estimated to be $40 billion.

The federal government needs to divert all funding from highways to high-speed rail and public transit to make up for the years of underfunding. Spending on highways just increases ghg emissions

]]> Comment #5 by kwolph http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/ Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:52:35 -0800 http://www.grist.org/article/hear-some-trains-a-comin/5 Energy Bill 2007

This is good news to hear.  I hate the 4hr drive from Detroit to Chicago, which is traffic heavy and stressful.  I gladly take the train and hopefully the expansion and update of the Amtrak rails will convince more individuals to choose this alternative transportation method.  

There is still time for readers to get behind the Energy bill currently being debated in Congress.  Check out www.energybill2007.org and learn more about the benefits of upgrading fuel and energy standards.

]]> Energy Bill 2007

This is good news to hear.  I hate the 4hr drive from Detroit to Chicago, which is traffic heavy and stressful.  I gladly take the train and hopefully the expansion and update of the Amtrak rails will convince more individuals to choose this alternative transportation method.  

There is still time for readers to get behind the Energy bill currently being debated in Congress.  Check out www.energybill2007.org and learn more about the benefits of upgrading fuel and energy standards.

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