Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Passenger trains gain favor with public, Congress
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | October 31, 2008 | Joan Lowy

Posted on 11/05/2008 7:20:49 PM PST by Lorianne

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-75 last
To: Red6

That’s all very nice, but remember that the socialization of American rail transportation was the brainchild of a Republican administration, just as was the socialization of the American capital markets.


61 posted on 11/06/2008 11:09:42 AM PST by Mr. Lucky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: Lorianne

“Well then, fuel taxes and weight fees could build the railroads too.”

Just eliminate passanger rail traffic and the railroads are profitable.

Public money shouldn’t transport people at any time, and that includes seniors!

BTW, i’m 71.

Don’t come up with avaition, in the early 80s we allowed a hugh increase in the avaition fuel tax on the promise that it would be used to improve the airports and Air Traffic Control System and they have stolen most of it for the general Fund.

I say this as a 28 year member of AOPA and a signer of that petition.


62 posted on 11/06/2008 11:15:02 AM PST by dalereed
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: Tail Gunner John
I've never seen this train run late or have any type safety issues.

The California Zephyr? Are you crazy? It's notorious as one of the worst on-time records in all of Amtrak, which is saying something. The on-time record for September was 5%. YTD is 22.3%. They went nearly a year from mid 06 to mid 07 with a record of 0% on-time arrivals. Amtrak has its record here.

63 posted on 11/06/2008 11:41:37 AM PST by Bubba Ho-Tep ("More weight!"--Giles Corey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Red6
Socialists LOVE public transportation.

Strangely, people don't object to publicly-funded roads the same way they oppose publicly-funded train service.

Both are "public transportation" in that they are paid for, at least in part, by tax dollars. For some reason, though, people rail against Amtrak but don't have much of an issue with roadbuildig, which is a notorious pit of corruption and waste.

64 posted on 11/06/2008 11:48:10 AM PST by Citizen Blade (What would Ronald Reagan do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: dalereed
They should eliminate all passanger rail service and use the RR only for freight

Which would be a very dumb move in the Northeast. Amtrak up here works very well in the Boston-DC corridor.

As far as i’m concerned all public transportation should be eliminated

Which might very well kill some major cities like DC and NYC, where public transit is necessary due to infrastructure issues.

65 posted on 11/06/2008 11:53:01 AM PST by Citizen Blade (What would Ronald Reagan do?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: VOA

Tehachapi Loop?


66 posted on 11/06/2008 2:07:45 PM PST by Emperor Palpatine ("I love democracy. I love Free Republic")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Bubba Ho-Tep

No, I’m not crazy, but apparently very lucky. I’ve taken the Zephyr at least 6 times the entire west bound trip. Never, never a problem. I’ve had similar experiences with the Empire Builder and Southwest Chief.

My nightmare train is the Cardinal (Tardinal), always very late. Generally when I’m traveling by train its at the beginning of a vacation and I don’t really mind being late. For me first class train travel is the best part of the vacation.


67 posted on 11/06/2008 3:28:22 PM PST by Tail Gunner John
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Emperor Palpatine


Tehachapi Loop?

No...and I do thank you for mentioning that cool bit of railway building.
(Wikipedia below for the forum)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_Loop

The one I remember was highlighted on a “California’s Gold” show
by (sp?) Huell Houser.
Although the series aired on KCET, the PBS “mega station” of Los Angeles,
it did have some nice presentations of California sites involved in
the history of the state.

The “loop” or “bend” I recall was (IIRC) in the San Luis Obispo area.

I’ve done a bit of Internet searching but can’t seem to find any
reference to it.


68 posted on 11/06/2008 6:07:59 PM PST by VOA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: VOA
The “loop” or “bend” I recall was (IIRC) in the San Luis Obispo area.

Correct. I rode on it when I took the Coast Starlight from San Luis Obispo to Seattle last year.

69 posted on 11/06/2008 6:10:42 PM PST by Publius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Rummenigge
No, I lived in Germany 24 years, went to a German school for 4 years, later went to the THD in Darmstadt for two...... still later was stationed there myself. I lived longer in Germany than in the US quite frankly and I lived off base/post except when i was stationed there myself 2002-2005.

You're just an idiot who lives in his parallel universe of socialist superiority brought to him by ARD, ZDF and a cookie cutter German public education teaching the merits of a Ordentliche Sozialpolitik.

There is a reason why we have to raffle off green cards for Germans, and it's not to so they can stay in the economic utopian paradise you think you have. Maybe someday you can grow up and be like Fischer and sit in the US telling us how great it is in Germany.

You're right. Two weeks ago I bought my wife a new GMC Yukon with a little 5.3 liter V8. Nice car, lots of room, very safe, great for towing, and if it's like the Jeep we had before, we'll easily get 200K ~ 250K miles on it with no major repairs and still sell it. Do you know who developed Active Fuel management? Who was among the front runners with Variable Valve Timing? Do you realize my wife's Yukon gets better mileage than a smaller, lighter, less powerful VW Touareg? You live in a world of cliche. http://www.fueleconomy.gov

70 posted on 11/06/2008 7:17:11 PM PST by Red6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Citizen Blade

In Texas we are building “toll roads” so that those who use them pay for the costs and those who don’t, don’t have to pay. Guess what, many of these projects are even completed on time and on budget! Better yet, the roads aren’t full of pot-holes, are clean, and well marked. http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2008/jun/15/ntta-celebrates-early-opening-lanes-sh-121-preston/

And yes, companies that have been bankrupt several times over and bailed out with government hand me outs like Amtrak, does bother many people who pay for these economically “non-viable” firms to exist.


71 posted on 11/06/2008 7:31:40 PM PST by Red6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Red6

You lived in germany for 24 Years and still don’t have any german friends nor speak german properly ?

You are one expert for sure.

How can it be even clearer that you don’t give a wet fart about reality concerning germans or germany ?

How poor is that attitude ?


72 posted on 11/07/2008 7:03:56 AM PST by Rummenigge (there are people willing to blow out the light because it casts a shadow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Red6

Oh and before I forget - certainly the yukon has more power then a Touareg - if you buy the small one...

There’s a 350 Hp modell of the touareg that gets 21 mpg still has a torq of 850 Nm from only 3 Liters - this motor gives you double power to the yukon but weighs only half of it.

Great car otherwise that yukon - looks hunky with its nearly flat surfaces - must be easy to build.

But don’t go faster the 55 or parts will fall of.


73 posted on 11/07/2008 7:20:54 AM PST by Rummenigge (there are people willing to blow out the light because it casts a shadow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Rummenigge

Your words speak volumes about you.


74 posted on 11/07/2008 7:22:32 AM PST by Red6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Red6

besides - you don’t need my words - you know germans (from your imagination)


75 posted on 11/07/2008 7:28:05 AM PST by Rummenigge (there are people willing to blow out the light because it casts a shadow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-75 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson