Barack Obama announces plan for high-speed railways in US

The Telegraph ^ | 4/16/2009 | Nick Greene

[bruinbirdman]

A total of $8 billion (

[JoanneSD]

I would think these trains will be filled with politicians and their families....being they will be so great way to travel.. I have never seen a local politcian here in San Diego on public transport.. I take it often, most often the buses are empty and the south line trolley going to Mexico is loaded ,in the morning,,coming from Mexico, workers, doing jobs Americans dont want..

[One_American]

Goody. Amtrak can derail at even higher speeds.

LOL! That was good. Caught me off-guard.

[CHEE]

I wonder where this high price, I'm sorry, I mean high speed Chu Chu system will be placed. Maybe the Texas Pan Handle, Wyoming, Alabama - I think not. Our dollars will go to the East seaboard, California and, of course, Chicago.

[ElayneJ]

I’m getting kind of tired of hearing US news via the UK journalists. obama is in front of the cameras all the time - Why doesn’t he tell us what’s going on?

[AGreatPer]

We have a high speed ribbon rail system from here in Harrisburg/Hershey to Philadelphia. Definitely a nice ride. We locals call it the Ghost Train because hardly anyone uses it. What a waste of money. Now this stupid president wants to throw away more money.

[mathurine]

He keeps throwing people under the bus; if he had a high speed train he could throw more people under, and throw them faster. Hot damn, he’s slicker ‘n’ Willie.

[UCANSEE2]

Is Obama going to make the trains run on time?

[bamahead]

What about the braindead slobs?

They’ll be given cushy jobs!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I do not understand why we have passenger trains and freight trains separate.

] Why not just hook up a couple of passenger cars to the freight trains as needed? The freight would pay for the trip and the passengers would be gravy.

[Texas Eagle]

"My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America.

Being fluent in Obonics, I can interpret this:

"Suckerrrrrrs. I'm going to spend so much of your great-grandchildren's money on this boondoggle that it's going to make "The Big Dig" look like the penny dish at 7-11."

[Tenniel2]

Ayers' estimate of the number of Americans who "won't be able to get their heads straight" was actually a little higher: 25 million.

In perspective, that would be approximately two-thirds of the current (known) population of California. Think they can get us all? Me either.

[bamahead]

Wonder how much Eminent Domain they’ll invoke while grabbing land to lay track?

[rep-always]

Disneyland? Are you kidding, they will put these high-speed railways in run down ghetto neighborhoods or downtowns.

Here in South Florida we have the Metrorail and all it mostly covers are the lower class neighborhoods. Not that they are not needed there, but it would be nice to have those speed trains run as equally in the middle and upper middle class neighborhoods.
After all we pay the bulk of the taxes for them. By the way what money is the socialist in chief going to use? America is broke.

[theBuckwheat]

Few Chinese will buy tickets.

[varina davis]

Geesh, they can’t even replace the track between Jacksonville and New Orleans (the stretch knocked out by Hurricane Katrina years ago.)

[Ezekiel]

My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America.

"Innovations" - change contrary to market forces - is a euphemism for central planning and control with innovative fines and punishments for those who won't conform.

In any case, will obese passengers have to buy two seats?

[dfwgator]

I realize I am in the minority here, but I would favor a high-speed railway system over so much dependence on air travel for short-distance travel (200-500 miles), the fact is that economically short-distance air flight is becoming economically unfeasible, as more airlines start going belly up, I think there is potential for high-speed rail to work.

Think about it, for a flight of about an hour duration, you have to arrive at the airport at least an hour in advance for security, then a good part of the duration of the flight is spent taxiing, and waiting for clearance, not an issue with high-speed rail.

Not only that, but one advantage of high-speed rail over airplanes, you can access the Internet and do your work while commuting, can’t exactly do that on a plane.

[editor-surveyor]

"I realize I am in the minority here, but I would favor a high-speed railway system over so much dependence on air travel for short-distance travel (200-500 miles)"

Think it over; Aircraft can go whever they have to go, while a train can only go where the track goes.

I vote for freedom, and safety, neither of which is available with trains.

[editor-surveyor]

If O’bummer likes it, it’s got to be bad.

[editor-surveyor]

Here it comes!