dumb senator

[BillVas]

I watched Greata van Sustren on Fox news tonight for a little bit. I think she had Phil grahm on who was wondering why money was being spent on a railroad to las Vegas. No wonder we can't get anywhere with the Senators. Cant he realize that the economy plus the enviornment would be helped by this rail line. Stupid senator.

 

[George Harris]

Sorry it is not a rail line. There has been $45 million given to the Nevada DOT to study a Maglev between Las Vegas and the California state line. I think this is called a Harry Reid special. Graham is absolutely right on this one being a prime example of waste.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

Sorry it is not a rail line. There has been $45 million given to the Nevada DOT to study a Maglev between Las Vegas and the California state line. I think this is called a Harry Reid special. Graham is absolutely right on this one being a prime example of waste.

As a tax-n-spend Liberal... even I have to agree.

A Maglev??? Seriously. This is not a shovel-ready project. This will not create jobs. This will not improve the nation's infrastructure. CUT CUT CUT!

 

[amtrakwolverine]

restore the desert wind

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

restore the desert wind

Yeah. If you're going to spend $45 million on pax, buy some new cars. That creates a need for steel, a need for designers, a need for people to build them... that is stimulus, at least more so than a Maglev...

 

[dart330]

Being a resident of Las Vegas, I can vouch for how frustrating it is not having rail service to Los Angeles.

I have written to my congressmen several times about restoring the Desert Wind while high speed rail is being "studied".

All of the republicans always reply they will not support any form of rail and Harry Reid just pushes the high speed rail.

I can say that the environmentalists are really slowing down the process, the new line would basically parallel I-15, but they have to spend $45 million to figure out how many tortoises would be injured by the passing trains when the interstate is right next to it! Ridiculous!

That $45 million could have subsidized the Desert Wind for several years.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Being a resident of Las Vegas, I can vouch for how frustrating it is not having rail service to Los Angeles.
I have written to my congressmen several times about restoring the Desert Wind while high speed rail is being "studied".

All of the republicans always reply they will not support any form of rail and Harry Reid just pushes the high speed rail.

I can say that the environmentalists are really slowing down the process, the new line would basically parallel I-15, but they have to spend $45 million to figure out how many tortoises would be injured by the passing trains when the interstate is right next to it! Ridiculous!

That $45 million could have subsidized the Desert Wind for several years.

they probably want to know how many more tortoises would be injured by the train in addition to the highway.

 

[GG-1]

Being a resident of Las Vegas, I can vouch for how frustrating it is not having rail service to Los Angeles.
I have written to my congressmen several times about restoring the Desert Wind while high speed rail is being "studied".

All of the republicans always reply they will not support any form of rail and Harry Reid just pushes the high speed rail.

Aloha

Your comment is the kind of comment that comes from government representatives that infuriate me. They are obligated to express the opinion's of everyone in their district, not just their's, or the majority.

I once sent a letter to the House Speaker, basically calling my District Representative a liar do to her public comments about the proposed Convention Center location. She stated that 100% of the neighborhood was opposed, Yet I had said at a community meeting I was in favor of the location. My letter was read on the house floor, and I hope it contributed to her loss next election. The location chosen is the worst place for traffic near Waikiki.Drive time at that intersection has increased 15% or so. One benefit now traffic moves so slow in that area the severity of accidents in the intersection have decreased, although the minor ones tripled.

 

[Bane]

This is just very bothersome to me, because I am a republican. Let’s face it, republicans are mainly against rail and democrats don’t know how to finance or spend on rail!

Maglev, I’m still not proven on how these lines make economic sense! I would rather see better track beds, better cars, better locomotives and better stations at logical spots. People want to have train service to Denver here but I keep saying for it to be successful in Fort Collins we need new track and a new line between Loveland and Longmont! He’ll I don’t care if they have rebuilt F units but new track is a big deal!

Heck how long has it taken to get some mention of replacing the St. Charles Airline in Chicago!

 

[birdy]

Well, in the first place, I don't think there is any actual evidence that the 8 bil is earmarked for Las Vegas. So far, its just supposition.

Second, Las Vegas to LA is a perfectly reasonable city pair for high speed rail. Not at the top of my list, but a very good project. I am quite certain that the passenger loadings would be terrific. the terminus is apparently the showpiece Fullerton depot, so naturally the train gets described as a "train to Disneyland" by the naysayers. I'm pretty sure the proponents will get over the Maglev part pretty quickly.

Third, HSR isn't inconsistent with conventional rail. With the doubling of Amtrak's budget, there is money for conventional routes and they should do those too. We will be lucky to average one new HSR route a year if we keep funding at the current pace.

Fourth, Phil Gramm has zero credibility in this area. He was arguably the leading proponent of kookster capitalism that got us into this mess. His slash and burn approach to the federal budget in the early 1980's lead to the infrastructure and science deficit that we see today. Basically, he's a jerk and he has no business in public life, unless its to do public penance.