NYT economics columnist on HSR

[wayman]

Today is the first of what will be a series of four weekly columns by Edward Glasser in the New York Times looking at the economic costs and benefits of high-speed rail; it looks like it may be a cogent analysis, neither rah-rah pro-rail nor ridiculous anti-rail arguments, given the tone of the first column, but since this is mostly an introduction we'll have to wait and see next week how the more detailed analysis goes. Let's hope he provides some useful information without too much spin! Is High-Speed Rail a Good Public Investment?

 

[Shanghai]

Very interesting and well presented.

As more people are moving from the suburbs back to the cities, rail transport becomes more economically viable.

If we as a country are serious about our pollution, energy and congestion issues, rail transport offers some significant alternatives.

At some point, our cities will reach a point of diminishing returns for automobile travel, several cities are at that point now.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming editions of Glasser's NYT articles.

Thanks for posting.