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High-Speed Rail: Californians and Americans Just Don’t Know What We’re Missing

By Alan Kandel

It's high time that California and the rest of the country climb on board; climb on board high-speed rail, that is. If California doesn't do it first, it’s tough to imagine what other area in the United States will?

Japan has had their 186 mph Shinkansen (bullet train) system in operation since 1964. That’s nothing short of commendable because forty-four years of flawless service is quite a track record! Following Japan’s lead, there are now systems in France, Spain, Germany, China, Belgium, England, The Netherlands, and Taiwan. Italy's first high-speed rail system is purportedly inaugurating its service in 2011, while Mexico is in the process of building their very first, and in other parts of the globe, hsr is in the planning stages. A good many Americans just don’t know what they’re missing.

In Europe, some strategic alliances between air carriers, airports and high-speed rail have been formed which have made traveling arrangements more attractive, if not more convenient, productive, economically attractive, you name it. Meanwhile, taking a 200-mile trip from say Fresno to San Francisco Int'l. Airport on an electrically propelled high-speed train and one that is basically zero-emissions, will get the rider to SFO, according to the Fresno Bee (http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/924740.html), in less than an hour (at 220 mph, I'm assuming). This makes so much sense since Fresno Yosemite Int’l. airport isn't very well served in my opinion anyway. So hsr would be ideal for the Valley.

Density

Critics and opponents say there isn't enough density in California, especially in the Central Valley, to justify it. Hogwash! By the time this system is built and logging its first passenger revenue mile, there will be millions more people living in the eight-county Central Valley, not to mention what the population numbers will be elsewhere in the state. By 2030, that figure is projected to be 48 million statewide. Where are all these people going to live? Many will be living in the Central Valley and commuting to Bay Area jobs. That's the way the trend is now, so why would that be expected to change in a dozen years? Besides, in France the distance between population centers practically mirrors that of California, and the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) is one of the most successful hsr systems in the world!

Airport and highway expansion will cost billions more

According to the way it was explained in “California High-Speed Rail: Economic Benefits and Impacts in the San Francisco Bay Area,” a report by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, October 2008, if high-speed rail in California is not built, “by mid-century, California would require at least two new major airports – in the north and in the south - and more than 3,000 miles of freeway, at a cost of $100 billion. However, due to environmental, financial and political constraints, it is unclear whether highways and airports can actually be built or expanded to the extent necessary to meet California’s growing requirements.” (p. 11). Whereas air and motor vehicle travel will add to and exacerbate our already bad air quality problems, non-polluting hsr will not, at least not directly.

The only problem I have with high-speed rail is that it will not be built fast enough. That being the case, the material costs will likely grow higher as time progresses. But, once built, the system, with its projected 86 trains each way per day, will carry 88 million passengers per year by the year 2030, also according to Bay Area Council Economic Institute, October 2008 report, (pp. 7 & 12).

In my opinion, the critics’ arguments just aren’t convincing enough.

Alan Kandel is a concerned California resident advocating for new, improved and expanded freight (and passenger) rail service. He is a retired railroad signalman previously employed by the Union Pacific Railroad in Fremont, California.

Posted on October 10, 2008

Comments

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Posted by: jack meoff at June 10, 2009 06:01 PM

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Posted by: jack meoff at June 10, 2009 06:02 PM

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High-Speed Rail: Californians and Americans Just Don’t Know What We’re Missing

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