IL backs out of the Chicago-St. Louis High Speed rail planning

[AmtrakFan]

http://www.masstransitmag.com/article/arti...p;siteSection=3

Geeze Nice to see a Crap Load of our Tax Dollars (NOT!), wasted on a

Project that brought nothing, WHY didn't they use ITCS or something

like that? Something that they knew ACTUALLY worked. Too bad IL can't

get there $$$ back. The only good thing is there evulating there

options with other system. It's about time.

 

[Steve4031]

http://www.masstransitmag.com/article/arti...p;siteSection=3Geeze Nice to see a Crap Load of our Tax Dollars (NOT!), wasted on a

Project that brought nothing, WHY didn't they use ITCS or something

like that? Something that they knew ACTUALLY worked. Too bad IL can't

get there $$$ back. The only good thing is there evulating there

options with other system. It's about time.

I read something about this someplace else. That article indicatedd that they would still have high speed rail but use proven technology like that that is used in Michigan. Which is what I thought they should have done in the first place.

 

[George Harris]

This is not the first time that an attempt to apply something from the aerospace industry to railroads has proven to be, well, spacey. I well remember the experience with the Boeing Vertol "light rail" vehicles. It all but put me off getting on airplanes.

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

More than once this sort of thing starts off by someone coming in thinking they have it all figured out and have no need to learn anything from those that work in the industry. Guess what. Those of us that work with the railroad stuff as it is ain't stupid. Generally there are sound reasons that a lot of the things are done the way there are. What does happen at times is that things don't change when the reason for doing them a certain way disappears. Generally this situation cures itself eventually, in the US at least. Those that are unwilling to modernize go bankrupt. (This does not happen near as often overseas where most railroads are government entities.)

I have often wondered, why not use the same for of ATS as is used on the ex C&NW main? After all, UP already has a large number of engines equipped to operate with that system.

I think the objective was to develop a cheaper alternative, and they found the system to be neither cheap nor reliable. Many a scheme has failed on the required level of reliability necessary for safety on the railroad.

George

 

[AmtrakFan]

http://www.masstransitmag.com/article/arti...p;siteSection=3

Geeze Nice to see a Crap Load of our Tax Dollars (NOT!), wasted on a

Project that brought nothing, WHY didn't they use ITCS or something

like that? Something that they knew ACTUALLY worked. Too bad IL can't

get there $$$ back. The only good thing is there evulating there

options with other system. It's about time.

I read something about this someplace else. That article indicatedd that they would still have high speed rail but use proven technology like that that is used in Michigan. Which is what I thought they should have done in the first place.

I agree with you Steve, they should have used the ITCS stuff which I think is made by a GE Subsitary. I feel PTC wouldn't work from the getgo.