Kudos to President Obama in His Announcement of $8 Billion for High Speed Rail.

[David Zephyr]

I am a much happier citizen today than I was yesterday seeing President Obama kick off an ambitious $8 Billion program to begin building high speed rail transportation right here in these United States. This is exactly what America needed yesterday, and it has been an issue that has had me frustrated for such a long time because it's great for the country and it has such utility. This is really good news for all of us and the President deserves praise for acting.

High speed rail will employ our R&D labs, our engineers, our highly skilled workers, our semi-skilled workers and unskilled workers. This is not job retention, but real, heathy job creation and it will be a truly needed shot in the arm to our economy. And it is clearly the bold direction America needs to transition toward. This is public works at its very best!

I've posted here since my first coming to the DU about the crying need to move forward with high speed rail. This has been a burning issue with me, and many others, for a very long time.

Eighteen years ago, in 1992, when Governor Jerry Brown of California ran for President (taking only $100 donations and almost capturing the Democratic Nomination), Jerry was like a broken record on the crying need for the U.S. to move to high speed rail and, at the same time, rebuild our existing rail infrastructure complaining that our trains then ran slower than they did during World War II.

While I wish it were more than $8 Billion and while I wish he'd done this last year, it is, nonetheless, a terrific start and this is something the American people are going to benefit from on so many different levels for generations to come. And it is something that Americans are going to like.

Kudos to President Obama for this!

David Zephyr likes this a lot!

[Fresh_Start]

1. What if its all outsourced?

After all the technology, manufacturing, and construction ability already exists outside US borders.

[derby378]

2. That's why we need to stay awake and on top of this

But I also want the Americans to get the best high-speed trains possible. If that means we buy them from France or Japan, so be it - we'll have time to develop our own competitive high-speed trains if we don't have them already.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. Me too

I rode the California Zephyr :)

[David Zephyr]

14. The California Zephyr.

When did you take the ride? How far?

[Tom Rinaldo]

22. About two years ago - round trip all the way

Took Amtrak from Albany NY and picked up the Zephyr in Chicago. Loved it. Long train rides are incredibly relaxing to me and the scenery of course was great.

[DJ13]

4. From the little I've read on the subject today

It seems our definition of "high speed" is nowhere near the kind of speed we usually associate wit Japans bullet trains, or the MagLev in Europe.

These look to be targeted to only averaging 110 mph, which is about the same speed several lines in the 1930's in the North East were doing on a regular basis.

[flyarm]

5. Great news for Disney here in Orlando..You know ABC owned by Disney!!

and republican owned Disney!!
This is greattttttttt news for Disney!!

[David Zephyr]

11. It's good news for Floridians as the second phase goes to Miami

This is a very positive thing and something Democrats can be proud about.

[flyarm]

12. except..it is only 1/2 of what was asked for and our state has been in a depression for longer than

most states have been in a recession!..we have an 11.8 unemployment rate..and many counties are well over 14%..and we have record foreclosures.

Our state budget is going to be -3 billion $$ for 2010 ( that is seriously in the hole) ..just announced on tonights news..

and this state does not have the other $1.2 billion to even start the high speed rail..to feed Disney corp.

Just after Obama took off from Tampa.. our local news said the numbers being discussed now are old numbers..and that the over runs will be exorbitant! And those $$ will be pushed off on Fla taxpayers!..who just happen to be in record financial ruin! Record Forclosures here in Fla..and not just homeowners but many many millions of condo's and huge Builders holding unfinished and finished condo's sitting empty!

Then add on record slow tourists seasons ..remember a huge portion of our taxes come from tourists that now are not coming, and our Hotels and Condo's are at record levels of emptiness!
Whatg a freaking joke to those of us who have seen this shit batted back and forth for so many years..
Just who is going to pay for Dinsey's new high speed rail?

You or me, a Fla taxpayer?

[flyarm]

13. there isn't enough money for the first phase..its a joke to think there will be money to take it to

Miami..

There . is . not . enough . Money . to . even . begin . it . to . Orlando!

[Change Happens]

15. Will this come to Ft Lauderdale?

[flyarm]

17. read what i wrote..there is no money to even get this off the ground from TPA to Orlando..

the Disney train ( what we in this part of Fla call it) ..is predicated on $$$ Numbers from 2000 ..and Fla needed 2.5 billion from the feds just to start it..Obama didn't even offer 1/2 of what is needed in 2000 Numbers to get it started..

this is bogus bullshit folks!

[flyarm]

16. This would make the big dig in Boston look like the greatest deal in the world!! eom

[ramapo]

6. I hope it becomes reality

The United States should be embarrassed at our primitive rail system. China is in the modst of an amazing infrastructure build out. Spain has built an impressive system.

On the other hand, we can't get out of own way. The idiots in Congress have for decades complained about the money spent on Amtrak, equating it to socialism and worse. The morons never mention that the entire highway system is a socialistic enterprise that consumes billions of dollars each and every year.

I live in NJ and there is a defunct passenger line, now used for freight, that runs through North Jersey. For the past 20 years, there has been talk of restoring service. Now and then there is a study done. I doubt I'll live long enough to see it restored.

It is worse than embarrassing.

[Toasterlad]

7. There's a Huge Area to the West of Philadelphia That Doesn't Have Train Service

Consequently, there is huge congestion in the mornings and evenings as commuters basically all travel on the same two highways to get too and from work. Train service would go a long way toward reducing the amount of cars on the road, and not only be better for the environment, but would help save lives (there's barely a day goes by without an accident on either Rt 422 or Rt 76).

The sad part is, there is ALREADY a rail line that extends out to this area, that is currently only used for commercial transport, but was once used for passenger service. There was an initiative a few years back to get high speed service out there, but thanks to typical political hissy-fits between the local, state, and federal authorities, it died a slow death and nothing ever came of it.

If Obama can bring high speed rail to the Philly area, I will gladly give him kudos. We'll see what happens.

[David Zephyr]

19. Anyone that has lived or traveled overseas knows how swell public transportation can be.

In Tokyo,the subway gets you almost anywhere you need to go and then there's that amazing bullet train to Kyoto. In Europe you can hop from village to village and it cost so little.

Here in Los Angeles, we are slowly getting the Metro link by link up and running.

San Francisco, of course, is so far ahead of the rest of us here in California.

I've been hard on Obama, but he deserves praise for this.

[lyonn]

8. Absolutely, college kids can tell you the virtues of the foreign rail system

My grandaughter has been to Europe for a couple of semesters in college and they all travel by rail if possible. It's just a way of life. We are so behind times. Too many years of repub rule that is content with the status quo. They try to kill the American spirit of adventure and progress. That is why we are in the shape we are in economically. No investment in the future - only wars.....

[David Zephyr]

20. Indeed.

This is a good start. We've done nothing for eons. This is an investment here, at home and it is a good one.

[Terry in Austin]

9. Heck, I'd settle for highway-speed rail

The main thing is that it goes pretty much everywhere.

We don't need a lot of techno-romance here -- just do it the regular way, and lots of it!

[enlightenment]

10. I think that's reasonable for considerable portions of the

Eastern US - but the west needs high-speed rail to be economically viable. The distances are just too vast and I think a lot of people would choose a two hour plane trip over an eight hour train trip.

Still, if they would bring passenger rail back on the old line that runs from Las Vegas to LA - it could be a steam engine and I'd hop aboard. The city of Las Vegas was built for the railroad, originally - Clark County is named after the the Montana senator (William Clark) who decided this was the perfect place for a maintenance facility. FDR rode the line when he came out to dedicate Hoover Dam (he also rode the Boulder Branch that went directly to the dam, at the time). We have railroad history, dang it! :)

[KonaKane]

18. Amen!!

I have been bitching about this for years, wondering why we are practically the only "civilized western nation" who doesn't have a decent rail system, and dumps tons of government subsidies into the airlines instead of addressing rail.

Thank you Mr President. Now make sure you FOLLOW THROUGH. Here's to an American high speed rail system in my lifetime.

[mmonk]

21. Count me in. Good move.