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This past Tuesday's New York Times reports that the Chinese High Speed Rail System is again gaining traction. Now that the 'bad boys' are in the hoosegow (and somehow they have a way of 'misplacing' keys over there), it appears that it is time to recognize the foresight and societal value to the System they have wrought:
CHANGSHA, China — The cavernous rail station here for China’s new high-speed trains was nearly deserted when it opened less than four years ago.
Not anymore. Practically every train is sold out, although they leave for cities all over the country every several minutes. Long lines snake back from ticket windows under the 50-foot ceiling of white, gently undulating steel that floats cloudlike over the departure hall. An ambitious construction program will soon nearly double the size of the 16-platform station.
Just five years after China’s high-speed rail system opened, it is carrying nearly twice as many passengers each month as the country’s domestic airline industry. With traffic growing 28 percent a year for the last several years, China’s high-speed rail network will handle more passengers by early next year than the 54 million people a month who board domestic flights in the United States.
OK, the question will be raised, particularly by our younger membership, 'why can't we have it here?' With the disproportionate legislative power held by lightly populated regions (hey, how many US Senators hath Montana, how many New York?) it will simply never happen here, where in so much of the USA, transportation means an F-150, Ram, or Silverado. All told, if you would like to have an HSR 'immersion', best break out that Blue pocket sized document, stuff your pockets full of Yen and Yuan, and get ready for 20 fun filled hours on the 777 with 350 of your closest and dearest friends.
Not just an issue of passenger rail, their HSR expansion is part of a plan for economic growth long into the future by benefiting industrial expansion and tourism.
Excerpts: "When too many trains take too much time traveling the same length of track, they can get in one another’s way. But high-speed rail gets around this issue by reducing the amount of time any single trip takes."
"..for China to continue growing, it must work on raising the income levels of the inland provinces.
So as more Chinese manufacturing moves inland, efficient freight transport will become even more necessary. Otherwise, the factories will be cut off from the coastal markets.."
"..the tourism industry makes up 10% of employment in China, and its direct and indirect effects add up to around 14% of China’s GDP (pdf). Since tourism depends on cheap travel, high-speed rail could play a pivotal role in fostering this industry."
Their longest line is 1400 miles. The goals listed seem to be for non-urban remote areas as well as cities. Though our population density may be less in Montana than in rural China, we still must consider that incremental upgrades to frequency and speed might have benefits for many parts of the US, not just in corridors. Tourism and expansion of industrial jobs are two examples.
Jerome Nicholson Member # 3116
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quote:Originally posted by Gilbert B Norman: This past Tuesday's New York Times reports that the Chinese High Speed Rail System is again gaining traction. Now that the 'bad boys' are in the hoosegow (and somehow they have a way of 'misplacing' keys over there), it appears that it is time to recognize the foresight and societal value to the System they have wrought:
CHANGSHA, China — The cavernous rail station here for China’s new high-speed trains was nearly deserted when it opened less than four years ago.
Not anymore. Practically every train is sold out, although they leave for cities all over the country every several minutes. Long lines snake back from ticket windows under the 50-foot ceiling of white, gently undulating steel that floats cloudlike over the departure hall. An ambitious construction program will soon nearly double the size of the 16-platform station.
Just five years after China’s high-speed rail system opened, it is carrying nearly twice as many passengers each month as the country’s domestic airline industry. With traffic growing 28 percent a year for the last several years, China’s high-speed rail network will handle more passengers by early next year than the 54 million people a month who board domestic flights in the United States.
OK, the question will be raised, particularly by our younger membership, 'why can't we have it here?' With the disproportionate legislative power held by lightly populated regions (hey, how many US Senators hath Montana, how many New York?) it will simply never happen here, where in so much of the USA, transportation means an F-150, Ram, or Silverado. All told, if you would like to have an HSR 'immersion', best break out that Blue pocket sized document, stuff your pockets full of Yen and Yuan, and get ready for 20 fun filled hours on the 777 with 350 of your closest and dearest friends.
Either that, or stuff those pockets full of Euros and fly in the other direction!
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Mr. Nicholson, I considered inclusion of the Western European HSR systems; however when compared with the Chinese system...oh so 20th century.
George Harris Member # 2077
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The Chinese have taken what has been done elsewhere, mostly in Japan, done some tweaking and built on it in quantity. They simply have a lot more geography and people to play with than Japan, and for that matter, Western Europe as well. They also do not have to worry with all the inconveniences that you have in a democracy, such as pressure groups of all sorts, environmental protection laws, NIMBYism, and a host of other delaying factors. They also have a dense population in the eastern part of their country, a much less developed road network, and a lower percentage of automobile ownership.
It need be mentioned also that the Chinese were building ordinary railroads to expand their railroad network before even starting any high speed line, so they were already set up to build railroads, and there is really far less of a step from ordinary railroads to high speed railroads than a lot of those trying to wrap the whold high speed railway system in a mystery that only certain people can solve.
I personally think that the system we have that in essence gives us one legislative body that is population based and another that is geography based is brilliant in that it keeps either the densly populated or the thinly populated parts of the country from dominating the other.
I have been saying all along, if we can get one real, genuine high speed railroad into operation, it will sell itself from that point forward. At this point, I lean toward the thought that Texas will have it in place between Houston and Dallas because they are more oriented to making things happen that other places I would rather not name.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris:
I personally think that the system we have that in essence gives us one legislative body that is population based and another that is geography based is brilliant in that it keeps either the densely populated or the thinly populated parts of the country from dominating the other.
Off topic, but a good observation regarding a 'check and balance' that escaped (intentional or otherwise, I know not) my 'libby' PolySci 101 instructor (Actually full Professor and acting Head of the Department).
Of course, and now getting WAAAY OT and addressing matters of no concern to the Chinese, in view of that there is a ghost town on the Potomac this morning (got my RRTA today if of interest to anyone), will the argument of that we have TOO MANY checks and balances ever move forth?
And finally, and this is WAY WAAAAY WAAAYYYYYYYY OT. Maybe the best way out of the deadlock would be to delay the implementation date - the date where you are required to have health insurance a year until March 16, 2015. The mid terms would essentially make ACA 10 a referendum issue for the people, for if it is that important, throw out the obstructionists.
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