Thank you for deleting Amtrak thread

[NovaUSMC01]

One of the National Transportation Safety Board's main safety recommendations for trains is to have automatic braking, called positive train control, for a train traveling too fast for conditions along a section of track. But the cost of upgrading tracks and trains with the equipment has prevented the adoption of positive train control by a congressional deadline set for the end of 2015.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...l-fatalities-safety-recommendations/27230569/

Positive Train Control is a technology and topic that has been around for years. It is not just for passenger trains. It is for all rail throughout this country, freight and passenger alike. The North East Corridor is owned by the government (Amtrak). If the government was so serious about implementing this technology it would have set an example and done so years ago (on the most heavily utilized rail line in this nation mind you). I am no fan of Congress but this is a matter that could have been dealt with a long time ago. Some one has to pay for it.

For what it is worth, the North East Corridor is in dire need of repairs from Boston to Norfolk VA.

 

[NickleDimer]

Amtrak should be privatized. The Japanese have the best intercity rail system in the world and it's private. It never crashes, it's never late, it's profitable, and the trains go 150 miles per hour.

Back in intellectual honesty-ville, the backbone of Japan's rail system is government owned and their private rail system only flourished...
.... in post-war rebuilding
... in a densely populated country
... when they were able to diversify their operations because the government gifted them real estate around their lines to develop

I don't see any of those three very important factors applying to rail transit in the US.

 

[NovaUSMC01]

Back in intellectual honesty-ville, the backbone of Japan's rail system is government owned and their private rail system only flourished...
.... in post-war rebuilding
... in a densely populated country
... when they were able to diversify their operations because the government gifted them real estate around their lines to develop

I don't see any of those three very important factors applying to rail transit in the US.

The Northeast Corridor is not well suited for 150 MPH operation. You need lots of straight track to pull that off. As you can see, unfortunately, the Northeast Corridor is not wholly straight. There are kinks, in highly urbanized areas, that would make such operation cost prohibitive.

 

[adp98]

The Northeast Corridor is not well suited for 150 MPH operation. You need lots of straight track to pull that off. As you can see, unfortunately, the Northeast Corridor is not wholly straight. There are kinks, in highly urbanized areas, that would make such operation cost prohibitive.

Few years ago a Chinese company was ready to dump $50 billion to install Maglev in the NEC. Lots of foreign investment that would do the DC-Boston corridor and fund it all. The result would be vastly improved service than anything Amtrak could ever provide. Congress/Admin screwed it up over the union.

 

[NovaUSMC01]

Few years ago a Chinese company was ready to dump $50 billion to install Maglev in the NEC. Lots of foreign investment that would do the DC-Boston corridor and fund it all. The result would be vastly improved service than anything Amtrak could ever provide. Congress/Admin screwed it up over the union.

The government should not be running railroads. The service sucks. Look at any rail line not named the Northeast Corridor. Add to the mixture that the states are getting sick of funding their trains and you have a real mess brewing. Believe it or not, there are private ventures that will assume responsibility for some of these routes. Indiana is exhibit number one. Iowa Pacific wants to run the Indy to Chicago train. I say let them do it. Keep the subsidies in place for now and see how it pans out.

http://www.ibj.com/articles/52755-iowa-pacific-wants-to-increase-routes-on-hoosier-state-line

 

[The_Z_Man]

Trains go much, much faster than that in Europe and they don't have seat belts there either. They also have no problem driving triple digits on the reg in the most civilized parts of Europe.

The difference is that those are dedicated tracks that are laid out for the purposes of triple digits. There are no at grade crossings, and everything is fenced in. They're not ripping through the Port Richmond of Paris on the same tracks they used 72 years ago at 161KPH plus.

I'm not advocating seatbelts on trains, I'm just saying it's the difference between driving 80 on the Turnpike and 80 through your local sub-division.

 

[NickleDimer]

the Port Richmond of Paris

This phrase made me laugh.

 

[vujoe62]

Listening to Nutter's press conference live.

He is painting the black again.

 

[lowry99]

I was talking about triple digit driving. No one's locking you up for that in Germany, it's a way of life. Glad to hear no train seatbelt advocates here though, especially after the condemnation of Werth and others on here for ever topping 100 I thought that's what I was hearing.

 

[NickleDimer]

I was always under the impression that non-Acela Amtrak trains only topped out in the low-80s (cap tip to Jamie Moyer), even on straightaways.

 

[LizReed]

I was always under the impression that non-Acela Amtrak trains only topped out in the low-80s (cap tip to Jamie Moyer), even on straightaways.

That might be generous.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

I was always under the impression that non-Acela Amtrak trains only topped out in the low-80s (cap tip to Jamie Moyer), even on straightaways.

If I'm not mistaken, the Metroliner was nearly as fast as the Acela. I would be willing to bet that SEPTA regional rail can go upwards of 100.

 

[NickleDimer]

If I'm not mistaken, the Metroliner was nearly as fast as the Acela. I would be willing to bet that SEPTA regional rail can go upwards of 100.

SEPTA's new Silverliner V cars can top out at 100 mph. Would be surprised if they did anything more than 75, and even then it would be only on straightaways on express trains (Great Valley Flyer).

 

[BustaNutter]

Nutter is just killing it in the press conference right now.

This! Lame duck mayor my black ass! Best part of last week was I got to sport an OEM (Office of Emergency Management) hat for something other than a snowstorm.

 

[NickleDimer]

Busta, what do you think of the impending decline of the CoP under a nearly illiterate mayor like Jim Kenney?

 

[BustaNutter]

I think it's funny that Kenney made his bones in the 90s as a wannabe cop who liked to patrol city streets in his city issued councilman's car and chase hookers from corners. Usually the ones who take on prostitution as their pet cause are the biggest whore mongers.

Whites are celebrating that they "finally" got a white mayor again for first time since 1999. These idiots fail to see how much of an Uncle Tom I was. Can't get much whiter than my narrow ass.

 

[NickleDimer]

Will Nutter move up to a higher position?

gr8 comparison of the last CoP mayors:

John Street: from Norristown, Oakwood University, Temple Law, fired from Dept of Justice job, ran for office in a hood distrtct to try to get on the govt gravy train like his bro, won first office because Cecil B Moore died, would be in Federal jail if he didn't mobilize PPD resources to thwart investigations, recognized by Time magazine as one of the worst mayors in the US, was horrible for PHA after leaving the mayor's office

Michael Nutter: SJ Prep, Wharton, investment banker turned public servant, reps a pretty tame district, pretty well respected, seems to be a general reduction in crime and growth in the city during his tenure, only major black eyes (so far) of his tenure are canceling a football game and decades of school district funding mistakes rearing their ugly heads.

 

[TheFoyeEffect]

If the CoP doesn't immediately collapse in on itself like it did immediately after Rendell left office, Nutter will probably be recognized as the city's best mayor in decades.

 

[RimJobbLarry]

1 year anniversary bump