Are Trains back in our future?

Discussion in 'Other Political Issues' started by Robert, Apr 29, 2017.

  1. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    One thing must be admitted about trains, they move goods cheaper by far than do trucks. Not knowing the figures on airplanes, let's leave them out. Trains is on my mind. Specifically the MagLev trains. They have them in China and Japan, France has the fast on rails train but off rail and for sheer top speed, Japan wins with the maglev.

    For one thing that we can discuss is the MagLev is 100 percent electric powered. An electric current can be generated a lot of ways. It can be from a windmill or a lot of them, but wind could do the job. We have other ways as well. i don't know which of all is best.

    So let's take a Maglev ride.

    A good video to see how it works.

     
  2. dagosa

    dagosa Well-Known Member

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    Only if they can run on coal.......
    upload_2019-4-28_20-53-21.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2019
  3. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    A problem with the super fast trains .... who would like to be a passenger?



     
  4. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    No maglev trains outside of Japan come close to breaking even in terms of their costs versus their revenue.
     
  5. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I did not know Japan recovered the cost. Are you positive?
     
  6. Mr_Truth

    Mr_Truth Well-Known Member

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    I believe we have had other discussions on this before. But it definitely is worth a fuller review.

    Back in the 1960s there had been talk that cities were on their way out. It was believed by some that suburban life was ideal and that cities would decay and go the way of the Romans. Today, however, we see gentrification and urban renewal. NYC is today cleaner than it has been since time memorial. Ditto for other big cities. The city has made a comeback and the quality of life improves every year.

    Now, as for trains, they too are or should be enjoying a significant comeback. Light rails in many cities are a big hit. In the Twin Cities, the folks love them. They have generated huge amounts of money for both cities and they are expanding into the suburbs. Other cities are learning that rail is the way to increase urban vitality and are building their own systems.

    Soon enough, inter city trains will make a comeback as well. And with them we shall see even more urban improvement. True, these things do cost a good deal of money. But, the investments cities make into them are re-captured almost immediately. Therefore, they are good investments which will guarantee better futures for all.
     
  7. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    Japan has a few routes that actually make a small amount of profit.
     
  8. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    How many times have you stood waiting for your car to show up? How much money to you need to insert into your car's box to pay for the ride?
     
  9. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    Well, it cost me about $40 in gas to commute the last two weeks, not to mention the cost of auto insurance and in buying my car, maintaining it and repairing it.
     
  10. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    No waiting in line. No inconvenience of other passengers. Guess one picks their poison.
     
  11. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    Don't get me wrong, I don't think commuter trains are practical in most places, but if I lived in a place with that option, I'd probably choose it. Very impractical for the suburbs I live in. I am just pointing out some of the flaws with your criticism of commuter trains. Cars aren't cheap transportation.
     
  12. tecoyah

    tecoyah Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Who knows.
     
  13. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Oh but trains are cheap. OK then.
     
  14. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    Well to travel on they are.
     
  15. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Have you priced AMTRAK recently or BART?
     
  16. danielpalos

    danielpalos Banned

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    MagLev in vacuum environments is what some on the left are advocating.
     
  17. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    The left would please me and millions of other republicans far more by stopping trying to rule our lives. The pile of laws put on the books by Democrats is disgusting.
     
  18. BillRM

    BillRM Well-Known Member

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    Yes we can not have laws to achieved clean air, water you can drink safety, food you can eat safety along with safe drugs but lord we can have all manner of laws to control women wombs.
     
  19. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    What laws control women's wombs?

    I do not recall saying I want dirty air or water or food that is bad. But you pretended i did say that.
     
  20. BillRM

    BillRM Well-Known Member

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    There is too many laws, in your own words, that are controlling too many aspects of our lives and such complains are found largely in the population that think that rules./laws on air, water, food, medical safety and so on is a plot to take over their lives.
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2019
  21. danielpalos

    danielpalos Banned

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    with a long enough run; maglev could propel cargo to space.
     
  22. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    I"m sure BART is cheaper than paying for parking all day.
     
  23. perdidochas

    perdidochas Well-Known Member

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    We have many laws on clean air, water, food and safe drugs. Those have nothing to do with trains.
     
  24. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    San Francisco deliberately does that to force people out of cars.

    Should government force humans or serve humans?
     
  25. Robert

    Robert Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I compare the state of human freedom in 1800 - 1850 - 1900 to right now and can prove we were attacked by laws by the Democrats starting around 1933 or circa FDR forward.
     

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