Bullet trains

[Joshjrn]

Just take a philosophy class, and you'll hear it.

 

 

I've taken both philosophy and logic, and I've never heard of such a demarcation between logical fallacies. Apparently, there are a couple of places online that espouse this definition, but the overwhelming majority of sources on the subject do not. Regardless, it is apparently a "thing", so I'll recant.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Joshjrn

[Ninexblue]

To Ethan: Bullet trains do indeed require special tracks.

Living in Japan, I travel by the bullet train quite often. For the main line, connecting Fukuoka with Hiroshima then Osaka then Nagoya to Tokyo, they built many stations between these five major cities when the bullet trains debuted nearly fifty years ago. Now, however, the slightly slower trains stopping at the less populated cities have been almost phased out. The fastest train which used to be the rarer one is the norm now, and basically only stops at the five cities I mentioned.

As for the difference with air travel, I sometimes face a dilemma: with LCCs offering ridiculously low fares, it is almost always cheaper to fly domestically in Japan. And often even when taking into account getting to the airport etc., it can still be quicker than the bullet train even in a small country like Japan. I still might take the train though-it is just more relaxing. Lots of room, it is quiet, and there are never ever any unforeseen delays or security headaches.

Bullet trains are great, but it is merely a pipe dream in the US. Even the proposed rail that erador mentions has lost most of its public support in one of the few areas where such a rail system is both a viable and appealing solution. The estimated 70 billion dollar cost (for the California rail) would no doubt balloon anyway. Imagine the cost in the OP map...

[Damin]

If I'm not mistaken they would have to do as they did for light rail and make the tracks specifically a: for the trains themselves so they can draw power either from overhead wires or the tracks themselves and b: tracks pertaining to the climate. I know here and Portland if the weather is too hot they need to slow down the light rail because the tracks will warp. I'm sure it's the same basic concept here. This right here makes it all the more unlikely to happen, it's a good idea in theory but the labor/time/cost would be far too high to make this any sort of reality. Instead they should funnel the money into a way to make air travel cheaper.

[Joshjrn]

Rob, being able to get up and get a drink in the restaurant car was probably my favorite part of traveling by rail, followed closely by disembarking in the city center instead of in a suburb an hour away.

Damin, I know that in my little corner of the world, HSR would have to travel sub 80mph because the ground isn't hard enough to give the necessary stability for a true HSR. If you ever drive through the south and see cracked and uneven highways, it isn't that we don't repair them. It's that a brand new corridor will start to break down within 15 years or so due to the ground settling.

[Erador]

Don't you guys have to bury your dead at different depths? I recall hearing that from someone.

[Joshjrn]

Don't you guys have to bury your dead at different depths? I recall hearing that from someone.

You likely picked that up as an explanation for above ground burials in New Orleans. While it is true that 100+ years ago, above ground burial in New Orleans was preferred due to the fact that the city is below sea level, the water table was very high, and during floods, coffins would (very rarely, but still occasionally) be pushed out of the ground. However, that's never really been true anywhere else in the state/region, and isn't even true in New Orleans anymore as the water table has dropped significantly. As far as I know, our burials are just like everywhere else.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Joshjrn

[Beeppudnolan]

In Florida the water table is something to worry about, but it's mostly the limestone, getting through that is a bitch and then once you do you have to fill all that emptyness with dirt and even after compacting that down there might still be air pockets.

[Erador]

Don't you guys have to bury your dead at different depths? I recall hearing that from someone.

You likely picked that up as an explanation for above ground burials in New Orleans. While it is true that 100+ years ago, above ground burial in New Orleans was preferred due to the fact that the city is below sea level, the water table was very high, and during floods, coffins would (very rarely, but still occasionally) be pushed out of the ground. However, that's never really been true anywhere else in the state/region, and isn't even true in New Orleans anymore as the water table has dropped significantly. As far as I know, our burials are just like everywhere else.

It must've been during Katrina, because I also remember an image (or video clip) of coffins floating in a flooded street.

 

Oh, and HSR is very alive and underway in California. We just had another meeting in regards to the transbay transit center (under construction in SF) because there's demand for additional placement. 

 

And, yes of course, the actual HSR of the state, and eventually the nation, will look quite different than what outlines we have now, but that it is a viable and real solution is quite accurate. 

[Joshjrn]

It must've been during Katrina, because I also remember an image (or video clip) of coffins floating in a flooded street.

Unlikely that they were surfaced graves. Probably a flooded funeral home.

[Cakeboy 43]

That would be sick i would take that.