4 ms·

What a pathetic Debbie Downer article -- quintessential modern America. Most of the article just keeps beating the cost drum -- trains don't generate enough tic

What a pathetic Debbie Downer article -- quintessential modern America. Most of the article just keeps beating the cost drum -- trains don't generate enough ticket revenue to cover their cost. Meanwhile the U.S. taxpayer givers $41.0 billion a year to the Federal Highway Administration, and most roads don't generate a single dime of revenue.

drawkbox 10y ago
Roads, originally an Eisenhower idea [1] as car culture was 'railroaded' in so to speak to win over trains, generate tons of indirect revenue. People and businesses on either side and up and down every road generate revenue because of it. Same with the internet, trains etc. You don't have to generate revenue directly from the thing for it to be a great idea. Bean counting away from indirect benefits seems to be overly-existent in our short-term planning modern US culture (not focusing on true investments enough like infrastructure, i.e. broadband etc). Our interstate systems have been huge benefits even though trains would be nice as well, Amtrak is not competitive. The interstate system is probably the best thing Ike ever did, good infrastructure projects leave a great legacy and are overlooked. It fueled economic growth across the nation as well as served as helping with defense. [1] https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/finalmap.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/finalmap.cfm
ascotan 10y ago
Unless it's a private highway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_highways_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_highways_in_the_United... However, I'm not a big fan of toll roads myself.
phairoh 10y ago
The Economist is headquartered in London and as the publication's name implies it commonly focusses on the economical impact of any story it reports. They also don't hide the fact that their editorial positions are rooted in classical liberal economics.

drawkbox 10y ago

Roads, originally an Eisenhower idea [1] as car culture was 'railroaded' in so to speak to win over trains, generate tons of indirect revenue. People and businesses on either side and up and down every road generate revenue because of it. Same with the internet, trains etc. You don't have to generate revenue directly from the thing for it to be a great idea. Bean counting away from indirect benefits seems to be overly-existent in our short-term planning modern US culture (not focusing on true investments enough like infrastructure, i.e. broadband etc). Our interstate systems have been huge benefits even though trains would be nice as well, Amtrak is not competitive. The interstate system is probably the best thing Ike ever did, good infrastructure projects leave a great legacy and are overlooked. It fueled economic growth across the nation as well as served as helping with defense. [1] https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/finalmap.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/finalmap.cfm

ascotan 10y ago

Unless it's a private highway https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_highways_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_highways_in_the_United... However, I'm not a big fan of toll roads myself.

phairoh 10y ago

The Economist is headquartered in London and as the publication's name implies it commonly focusses on the economical impact of any story it reports. They also don't hide the fact that their editorial positions are rooted in classical liberal economics.