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For distances in US, what we have is already superior. Unfortunately, TSA security theater adds major delays, as does antiquated FAA air traffic control proc
by tomohawk 8y ago
For distances in US, what we have is already superior. Unfortunately, TSA security theater adds major delays, as does antiquated FAA air traffic control procedures. Major improvements could be had if we could get government out of the way and allow innovation.
Moving to high speed rail would also raise the profile of rail, and likely make it a stronger target of TSA, so you'd likely have the TSA induced delays for it just like for flying.
High speed rail might make sense on east coast (NY to DC is about 230 miles), but you'd never get the rights of way to lay the kind of track you'd need to approach 200 mph. They gave up on expanding the interstate system in this area many years ago for this reason.
- wbl 8y agoTrains can't crash into buildings: the TSA does not make delays for the hell of it.
- mikeash 8y agoI wouldn’t be so sure about that. https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2011/02/26/screening-passengers-savannah-amtrak-station https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2011/02/26/screening-passengers-sav...
- sneak 8y agoConsidering that the TSA misses more than two thirds of weapons passing through their checkpoints (they have improved - it used to be 95%), we can safely say that TSA does indeed make delays for the hell of it. They are not increasing air safety in any meaningful capacity. https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2017/11/09/tsa-misses-70-of-fake-weapons-but-thats-an-improvement/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2017/11/09/tsa...
- cheerlessbog 8y agoTo be fair they don't need to find them all just enough to deter.
- sneak 8y agoThat’s not accurate. If two people carry weapons onto planes and one gets caught and the other hijacks the plane and flies it into a building, well - the TSA has failed in their task. The sole reason this hasn’t happened in a while is that nobody is really making any efforts to mass murder with airplanes, TSA or no TSA. We should probably just shut it down and save the money at this point.
- geezerjay 8y ago> For distances in US, what we have is already superior. Unfortunately, TSA security theater adds major delays, as does antiquated FAA air traffic control procedures. That's quite the contradiction. Additionally, it seems you're failing to take into account that high-speed railways also enable suburban and even urban services, which are not possible with airways.
- djsumdog 8y ago> For distances in US, what we have is already superior. Um .. Russia? Lower population density, larger land mass and vastly larger and superior high speed rail infrastructure. No sorry, for US distances we're still super behind.
- tomohawk 8y agoI doubt I'd get on board a Russian jet. Here in the US where jet travel is safe, it makes no sense to get on board a train when you can fly there so much more quickly. Adding in high speed trains doesn't change that. They're just too slow to make a difference.