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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (357039)	11/5/2007 8:59:11 AM
From: SilentZ	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1574289

>At least 30-45 travel minutes have been shaved off of the LA/SD route by improving the track. How long does it take to get from LA to SF right now? -Z

To: tejek who wrote (357039)	11/5/2007 11:30:04 AM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1574289

The problem is the track in the middle part of the country is the worst in the system and trains are forced to go at speeds less than 50 mph over long sections. That's a problem, but far from the only one. Very long distance train travel (say over a thousand miles, maybe even less) doesn't work very well in the US. It would work better with higher speed rail, but you also have to consider the costs of extra or improved track, and more track maintenance. Its never likely to be an economic success unless the economics and technology of the whole situation changes in a big way. Its not just "give Amtrak more subsidies and everything will be fine". Things work out a little better for trains than they would without all the post-9/11 security hassles/delays, but the rail system can hardly count on the continuing level of disparity. Either things can get better on aircraft, or some terrorist attack on a US train could cause a lot more security in that system.