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The South does have large population centers, it's just that they're rather far apart. The northeast, maybe extending into Chicago, is the one and only part of
by hughprime 17y ago
The South does have large population centers, it's just that they're rather far apart. The northeast, maybe extending into Chicago, is the one and only part of the US where a high-speed rail network would make sense, but it's silly to expect a government to do things just because they make sense.
- tptacek 17y agoSF-Sacramento-LA-SD PHX-Tucson-ABQ-Vegas DFW-Austin-Houston-San Antonio Memphis-Little Rock-Jackson-Birmingham-Louisville-Atlanta There's really only one place on the map that doesn't make sense for rail, and that's the inner northwest (bounded by but not including Wichita, Sioux Falls, Spokane, and SLC). Everywhere else on the map there are hugely valuable cliques. The fully connected graph is a red herring. Until we properly invest in monorail technology (bona-fide electrified six-car monorail!), trains will never be the right way to get from NYC to LA. But there is a whole universe of people I could hire --- people I can name right now --- if STL and MSP were wired to Chicago metro via high-speed rail. There are also clients who I could do 2-3x more work at, because we could staff on-site.
- jamesbritt 17y agoIt pains me that I can't grab a decent train from Phoenix to Los Angeles or San Diego. ABQ would be real perk. Being able to join up events in those areas would be a boon to all involved.
- masklinn 17y ago> The fully connected graph is a red herring. Until we properly invest in monorail technology Don't you mean maglev rather than monorail? Monorails aren't especially fast. And even with expensive maglev techs, NYC to LA by train will still be long and painful. I don't expect that kind of travels to be worth doing by train (rather than plane) until we manage transcontinental vacuum-pressurized maglev tunnels.