Terrible train crash in LA

[Kabloom]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-traincrash13-2008sep13,0,245095.story"

Man, this is really terrible. The last time I remember something like this happening was when some guy left his car on a Metrolink track. A sorry example of physics at work :(.

 

[hypatia]

That is really a very sad loss of life. Even at a slow rate of speed, the impact had to be tremendous.

 

[lonton]

I don't see any report of such a tragic on TV, news via network is not worthy of care.
There are sites that create fake cheap news to earn web readers attention, this is just so normal

 

[hypatia]

http://www.knbc.com/news/17462062/detail.html

Its pretty much been covered everywhere, its just that Ike is taking center stage right now.

 

[edward]

The idea of passenger trains and freight trains using the same railbed in a modern country is pathetic.. We are so far behind other first world nations on passenger rail it is ridicilous.

 

[tribdog]

Nobody will ride passenger trains. It takes too damn long to go across the country in a train.

 

[edward]

Nobody will ride passenger trains. It takes too damn long to go across the country in a train.

People won't ride a train that can only travel at 70mph at best. Other countries don't see things that way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkaJrmnoz8A&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTm6c1ZPaU4&NR=1

The USA never got much past the 19Th century with rail bed technology. High speed rail and slow freight trains are not compatible.

 

[tribdog]

Of course other countries don't see things that way. If America was the same width as Japan you'd see just as many high speed trains here. the high speed rail cannot compensate enough to make people use it here.

 

[Andre]

Nobody will ride passenger trains. It takes too damn long to go across the country in a train.

The http://www.thalys.com/be/nl/dienstregeling/Brussel/Parijs covers the 262 flight kilometers between Brussels and Paris in 1 hr and 22 minutes. Just go to the station and hop in.

Should you travel by car, plan at least four hours for the horrible traffic jams.

Going by plane looses the two hours mandatory reporting time at the airport before take off.

Guess what's by far the quickest way to travel from Brussels to Paris?

 

[Astronuc]

Of course other countries don't see things that way. If America was the same width as Japan you'd see just as many high speed trains here. the high speed rail cannot compensate enough to make people use it here.

I take the train (AMTRAK) from NY to Washington DC when I have business there. It's actually more convenient than a car. Once I get to Union Station, I can take the Metro to any number of stations near a hotel or office where I need to go. These days, it costs less to take the train than drive the car and pay for parking - and I can sit back and relax on the train (and even work if I'm inclined).

I've ridden on the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka, and a regional from Osaka to Takamatsu - and back. The Shinkansen is great!

I've ridden the TGV from CDG (Paris) to Lyon, and that is an excellent ride. I don't even need a car. Beats a car, bus or flying.

If we had the equivalent of a Shinkansen or TGV - I'd take it, except possibly for Coast to Coast travel.

 

[tribdog]

The http://www.thalys.com/be/nl/dienstregeling/Brussel/Parijs covers the 262 flight kilometers between Brussels and Paris in 1 hr and 22 minutes. Just go to the station and hop in.

that doesn't even get me 1/2 way across the state.

 

[binzing]

Stop being such a pessimist...

 

[edward]

that doesn't even get me 1/2 way across the state.

It all depends on how you look at it. It takes me an hour and a half to get to the Phoenix Airport. I must arrive there at least one hour before departure time. I am already 2 1/2 hours into the trip and haven't left the ground.

 

[wildman]

Nobody will ride passenger trains. It takes too damn long to go across the country in a train.

For trips shorter than 1000 miles, a bullet train is actually quicker than an airplane. Do the math:

A bullet train can cover the 1000 miles in 5 hours vs. 2.5 hours in an airplane. Edwards above, hasn't even left the ground by 2.5 hours.

 

[wildman]

that doesn't even get me 1/2 way across the state.

Most trips, even in the US, are short.