tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post3568017357878668794..comments2023-10-30T09:03:07.163-07:00Comments on California High Speed Rail Blog: At Least the Above-Grade Tracks Are QuietRobert Cruickshankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-85277005105644643012009-08-01T15:35:37.679-07:002009-08-01T15:35:37.679-07:00jim: "Is it realistic to think that the price...jim: "<i>Is it realistic to think that the price of gas will remain at $2-3 a gallon for the next 25 years?</i>"<br /><br />Hell, its not realistic to think that the price of gas will remain at $2-$3 a gallon for the next 2.5 years, unless the world remains mired in a global recession. We may well <i>see</i> $2-$3 gallon oil at various times over the coming decade, since extreme price volatility is normal for supply-constrained commodity markets, but anytime the world economy gets moving, we will be looking at higher gas prices.<br /><br />The key, of course, is <i>world</i> prices ... Europe, Japan, and China can all cope with $120/barrel crude oil far more comfortably than the US, so its quite possible for crude oil to be high enough to throw the US into recession without being high enough to choke off global growth and global demand for crude oil.BruceMcFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08502035881761277885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-12706369229511885762009-07-31T12:46:35.502-07:002009-07-31T12:46:35.502-07:00Bringing things full circle:
Caltrain to reduce h...Bringing things full circle:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.almanacnews.com/news/show_story.php?id=4546&e=y" rel="nofollow">Caltrain to reduce horn volume</a>.Biancahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00660718116529125977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-1902771228552858822009-07-31T11:31:04.615-07:002009-07-31T11:31:04.615-07:00In addition, you have to take into account a coup...In addition, you have to take into account a couple of other things as well.<br /><br />The aging population. Empty nesters are opting for smaller places with walkable communities. The suburban lifestyle is still popular among many, but more and more its being seen as a liability.<br /><br />Is it realistic to think that the price of gas will remain at $2-3 a gallon for the next 25 years?<br /><br />We never know where the next "silicon valley" will appear. No one in the 70s ever thought that the Santa Clara valley with its orchards and rice fields and taco stands would become the center of the tech universe.<br />A smart chamber in a place like fresno can draw business. In fact there is a lot of money in fresno already and it has a huge untapped potential to be "The" place to be some day. It is the the center of the state. It has something socal will never have. Plenty of water and something the bay will never have, affordable land.<br /><br />I'm putting my money on fresno if it gets hsr. ONly because ive seen this type of thing before .... and this looks very familiar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-9954263229949765452009-07-31T11:19:15.350-07:002009-07-31T11:19:15.350-07:00@ flowmotion. This is what will happen. The h...@ flowmotion. This is what will happen. The hsr will go into downtown Frenso either on the bnsf next to the city hall and current santa fe station on the east side of downtown, or on the UP row next to the stadium on the west side of downtown - in either case it will be a few blocks from dead center downtown fresno. The departures and arrivals will create demand for services, food and retail, as well as hotels. While the housing situation now is still bleak, once it recvoers there will be developers who will want to build downtown lofts and condos and such, that have an affordable price tag and will provide an alternative for people who either, A0 want to leave the bay for more affordable housing in the valley, but still prefer the downtown lifestyle, ( young singles who will be able to afford to buy) and B) young people who would otherwise leave town for the bay and LA who will choose to stay in fresno and create their own urban reality. This ha happened in both San Jose and Sacramento between the late 80s and 200 both san jose an sacramento have shed their cow town and taco stand image.<br /><br />The addition of HSR adds a new dynamic to a place like fresno because never before has fast easy access to the rest of the state been available. Ye they like to drive, but they can't drive 220 mph. with HSR suddenly hollywood is 90 minutes away. suddenly a trip to see "wicked" at teh Orpheum is 90 minutes away. suddenly The would be but can't afford it Santana Row buyers will be able to buy the same lifestyle in frenso - 60 minutes away, and a thrid the price.<br /><br />These things / changes will take time, but I can say with certainty as someone who has watched how things work in this state for 45 years, that this is exactly what is going to happen. Just wait and see. It will take 20-25 years and two boom cycles before its firmly entrenched, but it will happen.<br /><br />I know this for sure. Id bet a paycheck on it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-75965724177408082522009-07-31T11:00:33.866-07:002009-07-31T11:00:33.866-07:00@jim - By putting "growth" in quotes, I ...@jim - By putting "growth" in quotes, I was hoping the sarcasm was obvious.<br /><br />I certainly don't believe the CV is "hicks", however places like Fresno do have a typical mid-sized American city approach to growth: Development is desirable, traffic congestion can still be managed, etc. You mention migration to the Central Valley from coastal areas, but you don't mention the affordable mcmansions and ten-minute commutes that are attracting people.<br /><br />If anything, the SF/LA "we're full" attitude is the atypical mentality. It would be difficult to impose this onto the valley, and even if that were the goal, HSR is a largely ineffective way to do it.flowmotionnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-90894358194367729872009-07-31T10:01:10.731-07:002009-07-31T10:01:10.731-07:00So I am suppose to buy the argument that the excep...So I am suppose to buy the argument that the exceptional children of palo alto can only be exceptional if they study next to conventional FRA compliant rail but will wind up in prison if they study next to high speed trains.<br /><br />How did people with such poor critical thinking skills wind up with money? Oh yeah some one gave it to them.<br /><br />Of we ll know they don't believe their arguments any more than we do. Its just part of the everything but the kitchen sink approach to getting hsr stopped.<br /><br />As an SF nimby living here in the nimby capital of the world, I find their tactics to be quite pedestrian.<br /><br />The "what about the children" schtick is tired.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-65400989312733078622009-07-31T03:34:56.132-07:002009-07-31T03:34:56.132-07:00@ jim -
"What does school rank in PA have to...@ jim -<br /><br />"What does school rank in PA have to do with high speed rail?"<br /><br />One of the central arguments of Palo Alto NIMBYs is that HSR would supposedly have a negative impact on the academic performance of students. The presence of reliably good schools is a major reason why families move into the catchment area, why they are willing to pay for their schools locally and why there is such a high premium on residential real estate in the city.<br /><br />If Paly High, the high school next to the tracks, were to slip in the rankings, that premium could evaporate. If graduates were to have a harder time getting accepted by top universities and/or parents had more trouble paying for college, that would be a huge issue for Palo Alto residents well beyond the zone directly affected by train noise.<br /><br />Like it or not, those who are near the top of the pyramid want to stay there and help their kids reach even higher, even if that's really expensive. That's just human nature.<br /><br />The huge flaw in the NIMBY argument is that Caltrain's status quo is supposedly just hunky dory. It isn't and, HSR will improve the situation for that school as well as most of the families who live in Palo Alto. The downsides will be limited and impact those who took the risk of buying property in the immediate vicinity (~1 block) of the active railroad tracks. Caveat emptor.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-82912984606616879992009-07-31T01:59:36.543-07:002009-07-31T01:59:36.543-07:00Based on this criteria, the gang infested east san...<i>Based on this criteria, the gang infested east san jose high school OVERFELT winds up on the Newsweek list of 1500 top schools as number 1102.</i><br /><br />It's common for some low-income areas to sport one very good magnet school. Said school will usually have similar demographics to the city it's in, but will have students who excel academically. For instance, Yonkers High School is the highest ranked school in Westchester County, ahead of posh schools in towns like Scarsdale or White Plains; it achieves its success by selectively drawing Yonkers' best, and indeed, the other 8-9 high schools in the city have test scores so low you wonder whether students there learn anything.Alon Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12195377309045184452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-10338664255543919932009-07-31T00:52:44.042-07:002009-07-31T00:52:44.042-07:00WE spent billons for an oil war..what does that bo...WE spent billons for an oil war..what does that bother you Robert that you deleted my post?ITHETRUTHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-63452103454325627912009-07-30T23:54:37.307-07:002009-07-30T23:54:37.307-07:00@ flowmotion "Furthermore, if Fresno's le...@ flowmotion "Furthermore, if Fresno's leadership believed that HSR was anti-sprawl ("anti-growth"), they would very likely drop their support for the project. "<br /><br />Anit sprawl and anti growth are not the same thing.<br /><br /><br />Do al of you people live in southern california or what? I don't think any of you know anything about northern california - the bay or the valley - what a lot of ridiculous assumptions. If I were here making the usual stereo typical comments that everyone knows about southern cali id be run out of here. You people all need to stick to worrying about what goes on down there and quit talking about the valley like you know anything about it.<br /><br />Contrary to what you think, and contrary to the jokes we make in SF, the valley is not populated by a bunch of trailer dwelling hicks. The ties between the bay and the valley are very tight, and there is a level of sophistication to their lives that isn't much different than the bay area. In fact half the valley population is from the bay, and the other half are international immigrants from around the world. They actually do know what a train is. They actually do go to the opera even. And, with high speed rail and the availability room for companies to locate there and have good access to the rest of the state, jobs and the economy that follow will be created there. MAny do prefer suburban living but there is a growing segment of young people who may have the past left town for urban centers, who will stay and create their own versions of urban. And it so happens I was just in downtown fresno for the weekend and while the current lack of economy was showing, the downtown itself is gorgeous. Especially compared to that 5 million acre strip mall you call LA. The fact that the san andreas fault is moving you people closer to us everyday is terrifying. I only hope the same forces raise the tehachapis to an impassable height before you get here.<br /><br />And to think I was starting to enjoy trip to LA. Now I have to ban it and send my tourists to Monterey instead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-6419676358038442482009-07-30T23:33:29.874-07:002009-07-30T23:33:29.874-07:00We've got no money for toys said...
@Jim:
&quo...We've got no money for toys said...<br />@Jim:<br />"central valley people like trains"<br />No! YOU like trains."<br /><br />NO my dear, THEY like trains I know because I have been selling THEM tickets for nearly a decade now. THEY did indeed advocate to increase service from one daily round trip to today 12 daily round trips and before selling them tickets I worked on board said trains many times when they were packed to the gills. They are sold out during holiday periods. YOU don't know what you are talking about. THEY love the train over driving and THEY tell me so all the time. What do YOU know about anything other than your stereotypical assumptions about the valley?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-55726670925012368152009-07-30T23:25:17.546-07:002009-07-30T23:25:17.546-07:00What does school rank in PA have to do with high s...What does school rank in PA have to do with high speed rail?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-12653536653818412542009-07-30T22:07:48.472-07:002009-07-30T22:07:48.472-07:00Rafael, OMG. You are usually pretty good with fac...Rafael, OMG. You are usually pretty good with facts, I guess you must not have kids or at least not kids in schools.<br /><br />That newsweek study on schools used this criterion for ranking,<br /><i>Public schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews: the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by the number of graduating seniors.</i><br /><br />Based on this criteria, the gang infested east san jose high school OVERFELT winds up on the Newsweek list of 1500 top schools as number 1102. Does anybody actually believe that Overfelt, with its API score of 550, is REALLY one of the nations top 1500 high schools?<br /><br />Based on an ACTUAL criteria, Paly's API score is approx 950, and it is ranked #85 in the nation here: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/11/29/gold-medal-schools.html?s_cid=related-links:TOP<br /><br />Although Paly is traditionally below Gunn, Saratoga and Lynbrook/Monta Vista in the bay area.Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-19260205251754264582009-07-30T21:53:13.133-07:002009-07-30T21:53:13.133-07:00Christ, that Renfe video is a disaster in terms of...Christ, that Renfe video is a disaster in terms of PR. If that is what the CHSRA is claiming is "ok" for backyards and quiet, I suggest they find a plan B. It sounds like a super sonic transport.Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-5755581849546180682009-07-30T21:46:32.080-07:002009-07-30T21:46:32.080-07:00@looking
Prop 1A said the state of California wil...@looking<br /><br />Prop 1A said the state of California will pay no more, which is very different than the voters of CA. If a city or region wants a vanity station, or a tunnel, they get to pay for it themselves.lyqwydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13246339570684365095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-46519515635721571482009-07-30T20:27:20.638-07:002009-07-30T20:27:20.638-07:00@looking on...
I don't recall a deal like tha...@looking on...<br /><br />I don't recall a deal like that... I recall it being part of a plan, emphasis on 'plan', to fund the LA to SF segment... with additional funding coming from the Feds and priovate sector interests. <br /><br />And, that planned extensions to Sacramento and San Diego would be funded with operating surpluses from the initial segment. <br /><br />However, personally I do not expect operating surpluses to be a guarantee, or would be sufficient to fund those legs. And, additional State support would be necessary. Of course, the Feds and private sector would be expected to participate in those extensions too.Brandon in Californiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14796810137823230737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-12459589074550166742009-07-30T20:20:05.446-07:002009-07-30T20:20:05.446-07:00I got to argue with a councilman from the City of ...I got to argue with a councilman from the City of Orange about high speed rail today at the ARTIC early scoping meeting. <br /><br />He and another gentleman were talking about the project and I asked them what they thought of it. The other gentleman said he was very much in support but the Orange Councilman was there because he was very concerned over traffic, and also said, "Why should I pay for a high speed rail line that I won't use?" <br /><br />Hoo-boy. I gave him an earful, about car subsidies and how trains can be a public good and that we can't really widen freeways anymore than we have and all that stuff. You know, all those nerdy talking points. <br /><br />He mentioned something about Amtrak never making a profit and I told him, "Well, the road in front of your house doesn't make a profit. The interstate highway system never made a profit, but aren't we glad the federal government bore the brunt of this huge capital expenditure and we have this incredible system today?" <br /><br />He then sort of shrugged and had a look that screamed, "I gotta get away from this guy." It was great. I must assure you, though, it was a very civil conversation. <br /><br />Nothing really new was presented at this meeting, but there were a lot of people there and at times the chatter was deafening.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-28311616774008527922009-07-30T19:53:15.434-07:002009-07-30T19:53:15.434-07:00Rafael:
Come on:
you write
"The best way t...Rafael:<br /><br />Come on:<br /><br />you write<br /><br />"The best way to do that is to get the local community to chip in on the delta between the lowest cost alternative and the locally preferred one."<br /><br />The deal with the public for passing Prop 1A, was this 9 billion for HSR will be the only funds California voters will have to furnish.looking onnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-38766779381826433482009-07-30T19:48:47.913-07:002009-07-30T19:48:47.913-07:00Off-topic:
Talgo to sell two new trainsets to Wis...Off-topic:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUuLRmFhM3I" rel="nofollow">Talgo</a> to sell two new trainsets to Wisconsin for Amtrak's Hiawatha service, set up assembly + maintenance plant in that state as a loss leader to regain a foothold in the US market.<br /><br />The trains are presumably diesel-powered FRA-compliant Talgo XXI units, a beefed-up derivative of the UIC-compliant BT model that has proven popular for secondary intercity lines in Europe.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-44634965258837450732009-07-30T19:14:20.506-07:002009-07-30T19:14:20.506-07:00@ proudnimby @ 3:50pm -
for seismic safety, the p...@ proudnimby @ 3:50pm -<br /><br />for seismic safety, the preferred solution is a single central row of columns per pair of tracks. However, there's no reason why that can't be made to look elegant and visually lightweight.<br /><br />For example, the design could avoid conventional massive rebar cylinders with welded frameworks of slender steel columns and braces that are then encased in a relatively thin layer of concrete. The space underneath can be paved (parking spaces, bike path etc.) or landscaped to create a paseo ferrocarril.<br /><br />All of that costs extra but it's still peanuts compared to tunneling or years of delay thanks to political shenanigans and/or court cases. The only legal issue CHSRA really has to watch out for is environmental justice claims in poor/minority neighborhoods elsewhere along the route, otherwise it'll blow its budget. The best way to do that is to get the local community to chip in on the delta between the lowest cost alternative and the locally preferred one.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-41940866209121097832009-07-30T17:49:21.727-07:002009-07-30T17:49:21.727-07:00the facts are still that HSR will only take a mini...<i>the facts are still that HSR will only take a miniscule number of people out of their cars</i><br /><br /><i>which will have, at best perhaps, in 2030 15,000,000 passengers / year</i><br /><br />What are these "facts" and statistics of which you speak? Please link to verified studies of ridership that back up your claims. Instead of tossing around accusations, let's have a discussion based on factual analysis.wmatanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-10681535108564179972009-07-30T17:35:08.844-07:002009-07-30T17:35:08.844-07:00California will be paying billions and billions fo...California will be paying billions and billions for the High Speed Rail for decades to come; that will never come close to break even and which will have, at best perhaps, in 2030 15,000,000 passengers / year. <br /><br />This project will dwarf the last debacle, the Boston Big Dig, that PB pupervised.sure fire disasternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-11715380637447487732009-07-30T17:04:57.737-07:002009-07-30T17:04:57.737-07:00@ toy trains
the billions being spent on highway ...@ toy trains<br /><br />the billions being spent on highway expansion should be used to fund Commuter Rail/Light Rail/BRT etc. HSR serves a clear purpose, has been proven successful throughout the world and has been approved by the voters of California. <br /><br />@anon 3:43<br /><br />the peninsula isn't going anywhere near BART after the SFO extension debacle. San Mateo county will be paying for that for decades.lyqwydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13246339570684365095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-52009493243667983592009-07-30T16:47:47.848-07:002009-07-30T16:47:47.848-07:00Flow Motion is 300% right.
All these billions sho...Flow Motion is 300% right. <br />All these billions should be spent to expand metro transit (BART, Metrolink, Buses etc.) and it would have a much larger impact on traffic congestion, oil consumption and pollution.<br />Most of the gasoline (and most of the traveling time) is spent during the daily commute to work within each metro area, not on the occasional trip from/to the CV/SF/LA. Getting 50% or even more of the air market between GLA-SFbay is not going to do much for oil consumption. People traveling by plane don't add much to the oil consumption equation. Those who do, in great numbers, are the millions of daily commuters who travel those 10 to 40 miles one way to work everyday. If you want to decrease oil consumption and pollution and traffic congestion you should build more commuter trains and forget about this hi-speed thing, which ultimately will serve only those few who are in a hurry. Let them continue to travel by airplane, and let the masses have better transit to improve their everyday lives. We spend hundreds, if not thousands, of hours commuting inside cars every year. High Speed Trains will not change that at all.We've Got No Money for Toysnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-19865962227915746292009-07-30T15:50:10.243-07:002009-07-30T15:50:10.243-07:00Looks like the Berlin Wall to me on the video, but...Looks like the Berlin Wall to me on the video, but I'm sure when it's all done it will look like those pictures of Italy that were posted a year or so on this blog.proudnimbynoreply@blogger.com