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My understanding is that this is also the economic play for Brightline, which has an operating passenger line in Florida and is planning to start on a new high

My understanding is that this is also the economic play for Brightline, which has an operating passenger line in Florida and is planning to start on a new high speed line from LA to Las Vegas. They are owned by Fortress Investment Group and are buying real estate along the lines, which is likely to make more profit than the operations of the rail lines themselves. I don't have a super strong opinion on public vs private ownership for public transit systems, but I do think the idea that the owner/operator of the rail line also owns and develops property around the stations is a good idea. It's a positive feedback loop where good service creates demand for development, and development provides more customers for the transit service. I feel like in the US at least we have a tendency to handicap public services from making choices that would let them generate profit (ie investing in real estate and developing train stations into shopping malls) while also complaining that the public service doesn't generate a profit.

EliRivers 3y ago
Reminds me of the transit station built in China in the middle of nowhere that attracted some international attention, Caojiawan Station. This CNN article shows some good pictures in 2017; https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/chongqing-china-metro-station-nowhere/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/chongqing-china-metro... . It's just a concrete nub nestling in some undergrowth. “Caojiawan Station may not be in the most popular area for now,” one worker told Chinese media company Manner Video, a Chinese digital video production company. “But with the development of the rail route, it’s possible that it’ll attract more people to the area and help hasten urban development along the line.” Well, somebody sure decided to build right next to it: https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1647469687335428097 https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1647469687335428097
rtpg 3y ago
The fact that Texas had a thing like this being built only for it to get mothballed by angry GOP members mad at the _concept_ of a train is so depressing.

EliRivers 3y ago

Reminds me of the transit station built in China in the middle of nowhere that attracted some international attention, Caojiawan Station. This CNN article shows some good pictures in 2017; https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/chongqing-china-metro-station-nowhere/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/chongqing-china-metro... . It's just a concrete nub nestling in some undergrowth. “Caojiawan Station may not be in the most popular area for now,” one worker told Chinese media company Manner Video, a Chinese digital video production company. “But with the development of the rail route, it’s possible that it’ll attract more people to the area and help hasten urban development along the line.” Well, somebody sure decided to build right next to it: https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1647469687335428097 https://en.rattibha.com/thread/1647469687335428097

rtpg 3y ago

The fact that Texas had a thing like this being built only for it to get mothballed by angry GOP members mad at the _concept_ of a train is so depressing.