Should canada have high-speed rail?

[L Gilbert]

First, why don't these government agencies get together and get rail freight back to where it was? Oh yeah, they cut funding in the first place, and the trucking industry enjoyed a massive expansion. If the governments start to fund railways again who do you think will be crying fowl? I would love to see fewer trucks beating up the highways and more trains hauling freight, but I know a lot of folks who would lose thier livelihoods who would disagree with me.

Yeah, they could never get a job on a railway line.:roll:

Enough people are sick of government subsidizing businesses as it is. Do you think they'll put up with more, especially the people who will be impacted negatively?

Do you think gov't will quit anytime soon?

Governments have an abysmal record when it comes to picking winners and losers. The loser becomes the money pit and the winner goes broke. I'm sure we all know a few for-instances. But it's politics, that is what has to be kept out of the equasion because it sabotages any chances of honest profit. You can't compete with government.

So some consortium of private concerns should run the issue? Um, do you like the price of oil and the fact that if one company increases its price, they all seem to follow suit?

Well, that's a puppy that should be given a quick and merciful death.

... or at least funnel the money into something useful.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

OK, you didn't specify what sort of leader you were referring to so I just picked a name out of memory.

Well, I just figured that a leader would be considered a government leader in this context.

Tommy Douglas developed the first working healthcare system in Canada. Who cares if he got a fat head over it?

I don't, but it doesn't matter, now it's become such a political football and chock full of inefficiencies that people are paying out of their own pocket to get care in the US, or India, or even Mexico fer cyin' out loud. A good vision gone sour. And don't ask me for a solution, there are plenty of eggheads working on it and if they manage to get it fixed I'll personally nominate them for a Nobel prize, for what that's worth nowadays.

 

[bobnoorduyn]

... and private companies are greedy and gouge us.
Perhaps Bob is right. We shouldn't try to do anything because it'll cost money.

I don't care if it costs money, I want the choice if it's my money. I've invested in companies that the government ended up competing with. A bit of a dichotomy there don't you think?

 

[L Gilbert]

Well, I just figured that a leader would be considered a government leader in this context.

Got it.

I don't, but it doesn't matter,

lol Then why'd you mention it in the first place?

 

[bobnoorduyn]

Yeah, they could never get a job on a railway line.:roll:

Yup, I can see a guy with 40 years on the road, or a previous fleet owner operator being overjoyed at being hired as a junior brakeman. Would you hire a 50 something no experience worker? Would you take an entry level job after many years of service doing something else?

 

[bobnoorduyn]

lol Then why'd you mention it in the first place?

To elicit a response from you.

 

[L Gilbert]

I don't care if it costs money, I want the choice if it's my money. I've invested in companies that the government ended up competing with. A bit of a dichotomy there don't you think?

Yep. But then gov't should get out and let business run as usual after its done its thing. It's done that before. BCR is virtually privately owned now.
Personally I don't give a damn who runs the show as long as it happens and I don't have to fly to the east coast on Air Crappy.

 

[L Gilbert]

Yup, I can see a guy with 40 years on the road, or a previous fleet owner operator being overjoyed at being hired as a junior brakeman. Would you hire a 50 something no experience worker? Would you take an entry level job after many years of service doing something else?

There are no truckers under 40? The whole trucking industry wouldn't die, you know.
Besides the average person changes careers 5 or 6 times in their life.

 

[L Gilbert]

To elicit a response from you.

Ah. Wasting space and my time, in other words. Nice.

 

[TenPenny]

The problem with rail is that it follows a fixed route. With highways, vehciles can move from anywhere to anywhere. With air travel, the airlines can change origin and destination points easily.

With rail, you can't.

 

[Risus]

The problem with rail is that it follows a fixed route. With highways, vehciles can move from anywhere to anywhere. With air travel, the airlines can change origin and destination points easily.

With rail, you can't.

So why is that a problem? With crappy weather, trains can still go. Forget both planes and highways.

 

[TenPenny]

So why is that a problem? With crappy weather, trains can still go. Forget both planes and highways.

It's not a problem if you, and your cargo, always want to go from A to B.

But sometimes, people want to go to C.

Or someone builds a factory in D.

 

[Risus]

It's not a problem if you, and your cargo, always want to go from A to B.

But sometimes, people want to go to C.

Or someone builds a factory in D.

Most smart people would build their factory on a rail line...

 

[countryboy]

It's not a problem if you, and your cargo, always want to go from A to B.

But sometimes, people want to go to C.

Or someone builds a factory in D.

Well, let's see...the piggyback container truck thing seems to work pretty well for cargo.

In terms of passengers, if there was a main hi-speed line, the smaller centres could easily offer a decent bus service or rental cars, which would work for both domestic visitors and tourists.

 

[TenPenny]

Well, let's see...the piggyback container truck thing seems to work pretty well for cargo.

Not really.

It works well if you have high volumes travelling a very restricted route. For example, Long Beach (port) to the distribution centers in Illinois.

 

[countryboy]

Not really.

It works well if you have high volumes travelling a very restricted route. For example, Long Beach (port) to the distribution centers in Illinois.

I'm a little fuzzy here...I thought one of the anticipated problems was having a factory located not on the hi-speed train line. So, a truck would carry goods back and forth between the nearest train station and the factory. No good?

 

[lone wolf]

Not really.

It works well if you have high volumes travelling a very restricted route. For example, Long Beach (port) to the distribution centers in Illinois.

I have seen plenty of CN traffic diverted over the Newmarket Sub and OVR/CPR when the Bala Sub is blocked - just the same as CN used to divert dimensional loads through Lindsay due to a low bridge in Oshawa. There's just not as many tracks now.

 

[lone wolf]

I'm a little fuzzy here...I thought one of the anticipated problems was having a factory located not on the hi-speed train line. So, a truck would carry goods back and forth between the nearest train station and the factory. No good?

I don't think freight and factories would be a problem. A dedicated high-speed line would most likely be of wider gauge if it is of conventional rail at all. What gauge are the Japanese Bullets?

 

[countryboy]

I don't think freight and factories would be a problem. A dedicated high-speed line would most likely be of wider gauge if it is of conventional rail at all. What gauge are the Japanese Bullets?

According to what I could find, it's 4' 8.5" (four feet, eight and a half inches), which apparently is also known as "Standard (Stephenson) Gauge."

 

[lone wolf]

According to what I could find, it's 4' 8.5" (four feet, eight and a half inches), which apparently is also known as "Standard (Stephenson) Gauge."

I found the same thing....