tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post2028419321066298224..comments2023-10-30T09:03:07.163-07:00Comments on California High Speed Rail Blog: HSR Is An Attractive InvestmentRobert Cruickshankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-18187472404711110922008-11-10T18:46:00.000-08:002008-11-10T18:46:00.000-08:00High speed rail(HSR) has the advantage over automo...High speed rail(HSR) has the advantage over automobiles in that it can move passengers at speeds far faster than those possible by car. The lower limit for HSR (200 km/h, 125 mph) is substantially faster than the highest road speed limit in any country. Ignoring the few countries without a general speed limit, the speed limit is rarely higher than 130 km/h (80 mph). For journeys that connect city center to city center, HSR's advantage is increased due to the lower speed limits within most urban areas. Generally, the longer the journey, the better the time advantage of rail over road if going to the same destination.<BR/><BR/>-------------------------<BR/>hesslei...........<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://mls.fastrealestate.net" REL="nofollow">MLS</A>Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16203208898114850082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-56445000643363906372008-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:002008-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:00I think this is a great way to get the corporation...I think this is a great way to get the corporations to ally with the HSR project. Corporate America carries a lot of wait in America, and if any of the big-shots don't want something then it doesn't happen. By doing this, they allow themselves to befriend allies within Corporate America.<BR/><BR/>So basically, you're not just leaving your eggs in one basket. You're not completely dependent on the government and you can not be tagged as wasteful government spending or as a socialist program (as some far right republicans like to call them) since they incorporate a business aspect into them.<BR/><BR/>Maybe Schwarzenegger was just trying to protect his ass from his own party, but I think it'll really work out in HSR's favor instead of being some political aristocratic dealing with no real value.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-76866405391166279432008-07-13T14:33:00.000-07:002008-07-13T14:33:00.000-07:00I'd like to add, that the SNCF example of building...I'd like to add, that the SNCF example of building the track and stations and such, and then selling them off and leasing/renting back the rights to operate trains over them... is not new. <BR/><BR/>Leasing or renting the rights to operate on them goes into the operating cost. Granted, it's slightly higher... but it's a way to convert the huge upfront capital costs into the operating program.<BR/><BR/>Plus, the private investors benefit too. They pay the upfront cost to buy the infrastructure... earn tax credits and earn a small revenue. In the long run it works out very well for them.<BR/><BR/>The Japanese Shinkansen is set up very similarly.<BR/><BR/>Think... public-private partnership.Brandon in Californiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14796810137823230737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-10987513139005708372008-07-13T12:36:00.000-07:002008-07-13T12:36:00.000-07:00As to those complaining about SNCF, what their exa...As to those complaining about SNCF, what their example shows is that running an HSR system is not a detriment to a national rail system. Instead it is highly likely to provide financial stability.<BR/><BR/>The deeper point that needs to be taken away from this - which the usual crew of HSR deniers is tellingly ignoring - is that HSR's ridership is high on every system that exists and passenger rail ridership is growing rapidly here in the US. In that environment it seems ludicrous to assert there is significant fiscal risk with HSR.<BR/><BR/>Finally, the core points - that private capital will seek a safe port in a storm, and that an electrified passenger rail system in a state with a dire need for it IS that safe port - are also being ignored. Unsurprising, really.Robert Cruickshankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-63989291890028851892008-07-13T10:23:00.000-07:002008-07-13T10:23:00.000-07:00The RailPAC link in this post contains the stat th...<I>The RailPAC link in this post contains the stat that shows Amtrak California's routes have 50% of the ridership that the NEC has.</I><BR/><BR/>This figure is a misleading comparison because it only looks at Amtrak service. The main beneficiary of NEC corridor is all the commuter and transit services (NJ Transit, Metro North, MARC, etc). In fact, monthly ridership on all of Amtrak California barely matches daily NEC ridership.<BR/><BR/>This is why the EIR for the Pacheco selection was so flawed, because it completely discounted the huge commuter and local transit trip possibilities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-58998667394106098832008-07-13T07:46:00.000-07:002008-07-13T07:46:00.000-07:00Bikerider beat me to it. SNCF not only offloaded ...Bikerider beat me to it. SNCF not only offloaded all its debt to RFF but it is actually paid to administer that bad debt. If that weren't enough SNCF is actually paid to "rent" the tracks "owned" by RFF. SNCF has a similar arrangement for its management of the Chunnel.Rob Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10042154106850545479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-87469650189571276822008-07-12T23:41:00.000-07:002008-07-12T23:41:00.000-07:00The RailPAC link in this post contains the stat th...The RailPAC link in this post contains the stat that shows Amtrak California's routes have 50% of the ridership that the NEC has. It's a significant stat that along with the dramatic and sustained ridership growth makes a mockery of the frankly ignorant claims that there's any serious risk HSR won't have the riders.<BR/><BR/>The trolls are out in stronger force, which to me is a recognition of how much support there is out there for rail. The deniers are on the defensive across America as the public is set to vote for numerous rail expansion projects.Robert Cruickshankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-50167108728981281772008-07-12T23:29:00.000-07:002008-07-12T23:29:00.000-07:00I wonder how much of SNCF's revenue comes from gov...I wonder how much of SNCF's revenue comes from government subsidy, like various regional governments paying money to operate commuter services. If you count it that way, even Amtrak might turn a "profit" sometime soon: just wait until the Acela is above 100% cost recovery, and then charge the states and commuter lines a bit more to operate their trains, to make up for any losses on the long distance trains. Of course, you'd still end up with lots of corridor trains which only make back 50% of operating costs, but since the states cover the difference, it's breaking even from Amtrak's point of view.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-45773266877778546872008-07-12T21:32:00.000-07:002008-07-12T21:32:00.000-07:00The SNCF example given is very misleading. France'...The SNCF example given is very misleading. <BR/><BR/>France's rail infrastructure operator is RFF, not SNCF. SNCF is only paid to operate the trains. Further, all of SNCF's bad debts and investments were offloaded to RFF. Needless to say, RFF will never turn a profit.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>All of SNCF bad debts and investments were offloaded to a separate infrastructure company ("RFF"). These days, SNCF is only a rail OPERATOR.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-87568630772474125722008-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:002008-07-12T20:48:00.000-07:00The trolls have been out in force lately. I think...The trolls have been out in force lately. I think they are getting scared.<BR/><BR/>There was a writeup somewhere that all of the California Amtrak services are half the ridership of the northeast corridor. Thats not bad. Think about what would happen if the service was real and more frequent.Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-1750346530387831832008-07-12T20:05:00.000-07:002008-07-12T20:05:00.000-07:00Yes, because this HSR project will die just like e...Yes, because this HSR project will die just like every other HSR project in the world right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-75359012708090164032008-07-12T18:39:00.000-07:002008-07-12T18:39:00.000-07:00Dream on Robert. Very little risk, brandon? We wil...Dream on Robert. <BR/><BR/>Very little risk, brandon? <BR/><BR/>We will see won't we?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-22553548990701966162008-07-12T17:56:00.000-07:002008-07-12T17:56:00.000-07:00"It offers returns with very little risk." This s..."It offers returns with very little risk." This shold be underscored.<BR/><BR/>I did not speak to it in the below posts; however, in times of financial turmoil, like what we're probably entering deeper intthe myst, investing in government lead projects are stable, more safe, and the smart decision. <BR/><BR/>When everything else seems to be collapsing... parking money in a safe place is a wise move.Brandon in Californiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14796810137823230737noreply@blogger.com