Drivin' that train
I wonder if the current reign of terror in our nation's capital means that the preposterous plan to run a bullet train between Portland and Vancouver, B.C. will be shelved. Without federal money, I suspect the project is doomed.
Not that that's a bad thing. I could think of much better ways to spend tens of billions of dollars. There is already decent train service up and down the West Coast, if you don't want to get on a plane or fight the freeway traffic. Plus, given the state of the train tracks between Portland and Seattle, I'm not sure you want to create even longer stopping distances.
Of course, the Eugene types want the thing to run all the way to their burg, too. Those Canadians just can't wait to get down there and put their antihistamines to the test.
Wasteful rail projects, like Portland's Mystery Train to Milwaukie and the all-time boondoggle, "WES," are the product of the nonstop acting-out by the car haters. If they could, they'd take a couple of lanes off I-5 to run the choo-choo through. The MAGA types aren't the only ones stuck in the 19th Century.
The train nuts are aided and abetted, of course, by the construction toughs who will make sweet bank building the thing. In the end, they're the real winners, as usual. God forbid they should fix the potholes.
I usually agree with you Jack, but will respectfully disagree on this item. I recently took the Amtrak Cascades from Portland to Bellingham; the train was completely sold out, but takes longer than driving. Adding more, faster service would improve economic opportunities up and down the I-5 corridor. Recall that highways require massive subsidies too.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need a trip to Germany — go experience the Detuschebahn and get back to us. I did and found it amazing.
PS: I love my car, too.
"Improve economic opportunities up and down the I-5 corridor." Sure. Sure it will. Sounds like you need a trip to reality.
DeletePDX, SEA and VAN are all slightly too far away for convenient drives, yet they are major population centers. Better connectivity is good for business. Just ask Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Munich, etc.
DeleteIf I can’t get to a business meeting 200 miles away without an airplane or a 3.5 hour drive, that’s a problem in 2025. I’d rather walk onto the train 3 minutes before it leaves (no TSA harassment) and get to my destination in the city center in an hour, and for $10.
Visit Germany, Jack. Prost.
"Just ask Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Munich, etc." What, no Barcelona? You guys need a new shtick.
DeleteI don't normally agree with Jack but, in this case, he is right. It's a boondoggle that few would use.
DeleteI have a newfangled app on my phone. My grandchildren call it zoom. The kids tell me that I can conduct a conference call with several people in different cities without traveling from my home or office.
DeleteNo kidding. We don't need high-speed rail to get us from one dead downtown to another. Schlepping to Seattle to do a deal is so 1992.
DeleteEvery day, more than 2000 people leave PDX for Sea-Tac or YVR. All three aiports are looking for ways to increase capacity and moving people off those short-haul routes are a prime target.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I took the train up to Vancouver last year and it took a good 9 hours. I *think* it was better than taking the prop plane up to YVR and going through their awful customs line… but was it?
I support high-speed rail but only if done right, which means new dedicated tracks. This piece meal process is a recipe for bad and expensive planning and implementation. We need a public works project for the entire nation- assuming we can ever get off the military machine teat.
ReplyDeleteI used to love to go up the Vancouver BC as it had its own funky specialness and very beautiful if the clouds are gone. But these days they are lunier than both Seattle and Portland as far as enabling drug use and homelessness. They've destroyed the forestry and other natural resource industries. The huge influx of Chinese money and influence has destroyed the city's landscape and made housing impossible to own unless rich. They also are deep into money laundering and the illegal drug trade. I don't see it coming back to it's former coolness, and sadly the same goes here.
And sweet charming “English” Victoria has descended into homelessness, graffiti and drugs too. It’s really sad.
DeleteLots of Asian gang activity up there as well in places.
No trains, no I-5 bridge, no money to fill the pot holes or fix anything for a long long time.
ReplyDeleteNo more fed money for trains you say?
DeleteGimme one of those silly red hats.