TotallyOz Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 A new high speed trip goes from Paris to outside Barcelona in 5 hours. The trains in Europe are great. The ones in China are the best on earth. USA is sorely lacking. What does it take for us to realize that the world is passing us by? http://www.seat61.com/ Quote
Members TampaYankee Posted January 6, 2011 Members Posted January 6, 2011 A new high speed trip goes from Paris to outside Barcelona in 5 hours. The trains in Europe are great. The ones in China are the best on earth. USA is sorely lacking. What does it take for us to realize that the world is passing us by? http://www.seat61.com/ I don't know when we will catch on as a nation. We are arrogant and inward looking. We rely on 'the market' for our national planning. That means we are reactive in nature, not forward looking. Quote
AdamSmith Posted January 6, 2011 Posted January 6, 2011 It also seems just about impossible to get this kind of transportation infrastructure project through the public approval process here. The Western Pennsylvania Maglev project was, technologically, ready to start construction in 1996. But to this day, nada. http://www.maglevpa.com/index.html Meanwhile, the Shanghai Maglev started construction in 2001 and commenced operating in 2004. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train Granted there is plenty about such Chinese efficiency that I would not as a citizen want to live with. But still. Quote
