• According to one group’s math, it appears that the latest high-speed trains get an incredible 700 miles to the gallon when fully loaded. (InvestmentU)
• HSR projects are now on the fast track — Ray LaHood Federally announced this week that federally funded high-speed rail projects in Illinois and others parts of the country could get under way in as little as two weeks. (ChicBus) [SButtonZ button="digg"]
• The World Cup has begun! So how’s that fancy new high-speed system in South Africa doing? (LATimes)
• Transport ministers for Spain, Portugal, and France met this week in Zaragoza and agreed to coordinate the development of their HSR networks. (Independent)
• A new competitor is entering the Las Vegas HSR game, proposing a high-speed route between Vegas and Southern California that would have an intersecting line to and from Phoenix. (AP)
• Experts conclude that HSR would reduce American oil consumption in the long run. Yup. (CFR)
The Genesis “Desert Lightning” isn’t a competitor. It is an idea. They haven’t even funded any studies yet on whether or not it would work.
With just $13B promised over the next five years on a $500B-$1T nationwide HSR system, there is not enough money to do all the 13 HSR projects properly. Rather than focusing on one or two HSR projects and doing them correctly, making them a success to promote others, it seems the federal government has little faith in any one of them, and therefore has taken to the buckshot approach, hoping something sticks.
Most of the “HSR” programs funded so far are actually simple upgrades to fix bottlenecks in the existing rail system.
And well worth it, too. Every other country got its “conventional” rail into good shape before building HSR.
Florida is getting funding for a single short HSR line; California is getting some of the funding it needs for the first really serious system.
Its sad that while there is so much exciting green HSR news the Province of Ontario Canada seems stuck in the past building a new diesel line.
Despite massive public support for green commuter rail expansion the Government, who claims to be a green leader, is falling short of the mark not only on a world wide basis but even compared to other projects in Canada such as the new Vancouver line.
If you are interested in backward thinking look up the battle between public transit advocates and their diesel loving government. www. Cleantrain.ca