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Showing posts from January, 2014

Plans For New England Rail Network Continue

Despite difficulties of an ambitious national high-speed rail proposal, transportation planners in four states and the province of Quebec are busily promoting something similar — though probably more modest — to link Boston, New York and Montreal. The project will take the cooperation of Massachusetts and the five railroads that own tracks along three corridors that need extensive construction or upgrades: New Haven to Springfield, Springfield to Boston, and Springfield to Montreal. Read the complete story in the Hartford Courant.

How Florida Lost High Speed Rail

By Zulkar Khan - Driving across Florida is expensive. With gas prices rising, commuting is getting costlier each semester, and unless you’re game for the God-awful shuttle buses, you’re out of luck. But does it have to be this way? What if there was a cheaper, quicker way to travel? Imagine high-speed bullet trains — like those in Japan or Europe — cruising from Tampa and Orlando to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. This idea came close to becoming reality. But then something happened. . America’s first high-speed railroad was to be in Florida, ready by next year, whisking passengers for as low as $30 roundtrip from Orlando to Tampa. The federal government was ready to pay $2.4 billion out of the estimated $2.6 billion project cost. With such huge benefits — rapid, futuristic transportation, reduced pollution and a boost in the economy with new jobs — how do we still not have this much-needed public service? A month into his term as governor of Florida, Rick Scott canceled the project. Af

Ideas Still Strong for Boston to Montreal Passenger Rail Links

More action on the return of a passenger rail link connecting Boston again to Canada by passenger rail. Here are two recent articles on two different options. BOSTON - PORTLAND - MONTREAL Advocates of an overnight passenger train that would connect Montreal with Boston, Portland and Old Orchard Beach have about two months to reach an agreement with freight railroads that own the route if they want the service to start next summer. If the group misses that deadline, it will try for the summer of 2015, said Francois Rebello, the Montreal entrepreneur behind the project, called the “hotel train” or “night train.” “We hope we can still do it by next summer, but it’s not the end of the world if we have to wait,” Rebello said Thursday after meeting in Montreal with more than 30 supporters. http://www.pressherald.com/news/Montreal-to-Boston_night_train_gains_steam_.html?pagenum=full Here is a link to a schedule when there actually was passenger rail between Portland and Montreal.

Moscow to Sochi Double Decker Passenger Trains

This has nothing to do with high speed rail but the new Moscow to Sochi passenger service is interesting. The most interesting part is who will ride it once the Olympics are over. http://www.russiantrains.com/en/page/moscow-sochi-train

Globe and Mail High Speed Rail Article Flawed

It does get depressing hearing the same old diatribe espoused from people who suggest non-solutions to our current, abysmal, passenger rail situation in Canada. A recent poorly written article by Gary Mason in the Globe and Mail forced to me to wait, not 24 hours, not 48 hours, but 5 days after it was written to respond. Mr. Mason starts off with the usual rant that high speed rail is too expensive and the province cannot afford it. What he fails to realize is that every large infrastructure project would also include the federal government and high speed rail projects would involve a public-private partnership. Mr. Mason ignores this basic fact. Can the federal government afford it? It is all about priorities. Somehow they found $20 billion to fight a war in Afghanistan or the recent $25 billion for ship building in Nova Scotia. The federal government spent $1.6 billion to build the Confederation Bridge in PEI and will pay a shocking $44 million subsidy to the company running