Holocaust Reparations by French Railway System - Page 6

donquixote99 · #51 03-12-2014, 08:08 PM

You mean there's no existing railroad right-of-way to the downtowns anymore? It's all gone?

It's not like they have to go 200 mph for the last miles. They just need track.

bobabode · #52 03-13-2014, 01:58 AM

We built the interstates right through the hearts of big cities out here in California, there was some lingering resentment about the land grab through eminent domain but people got over it.

We should move most freight by rail instead of sharing the highways with giant inefficient semis. They could grab the dumbass HOV lanes on freeways for light rail feeder lines.

piece-itpete · #53 03-13-2014, 09:02 AM

Can't build new highways anymore, least around here.

A part of the proposed Ohio high speed rail line (a very 'hopeful' description btw) might have worked for me at one time, with a rail station planned relatively near both ends of my commute.

However, I would've had to drive to the station, take the train, take a bus the final bit to work.

Or I could simply drive to work in around 1/2 to 2/3s of the time.

I realize in denser areas it might work, or to replace 5 to 10 hour drives between common cities perhaps?

It appears that autonomous electric cars might be the answer.

Pete

donquixote99 · #54 03-13-2014, 10:57 AM

My favorite idea is a bimodal scheme, where individual cars hook onto overhead monorails and travel fast on trunk lines, while going on their own wheels on streets at beginning and end of trips. The monorail part is much cheaper than lanes of road, and transports traffic at high speed and density. You have two-person cars and family cars. You get to keep the safety, privacy, on-demand schedule efficiency, and door to door service of private autos, while saving energy and money with monorail lanes.

This idea could take off if a car company would get on board and develop it. The 'car' part could be cheap--this solves the battery/range problem, small battery packs that recharge during the monorail run would work for basic commuter cars.

piece-itpete · #55 03-13-2014, 11:06 AM

Yeah! And because computers react faster than humans and can communicate with each other, the cars could be inexpensive and light molded plastic.

Pete

finnbow · #56 03-13-2014, 12:04 PM

Just the extension of the Washington Metro to Dulles Airport costs $7 billion, or about $250 million per mile. And this is simply light rail technology and doesn't include the purchase of any rolling stock. Furthermore, it will be used, unlike high speed rail from Modesto to Bakersfield.

donquixote99 · #57 03-13-2014, 01:13 PM

Why so much? Expensive land?

Boreas · #58 03-13-2014, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Why so much? Expensive land?

There may be other reasons but, yes, that's really expensive land. I suspect it's about as expensive as it gets.

John

finnbow · #59 03-13-2014, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Why so much? Expensive land?

I suppose that's part of it, at least in the built up area around Tyson's Corner. From there out to Dulles though, they already had the right-of-way secured in the median of the toll road leading to the airport. And this project took the less expensive option of building a tunnel under the Tyson's Corner area. It could have been considerably more expensive.

donquixote99 · #60 03-13-2014, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boreas

There may be other reasons but, yes, that's really expensive land. I suspect it's about as expensive as it gets.

John

[EDITED-disregard previous version]

OK, figuring a 60' wide corridor, that's something like 316,000 sq ft/mile, which at $250 M/mile, makes about $789 per sq ft. Not outlandish for urban land, esp if you also have to buy and demolish improvements.