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Officials stand by high-speed rail estimate

By Tim Sheehan - The Fresno Bee -- State rail officials are defending as reasonable their estimates that passengers will take at least 29 million trips a year on high-speed trains between San Francisco and Los Angeles by 2040.

In car-loving California, state High-Speed Rail Authority board members say, it will take only a small share of the millions of trips now being made by car and airplane to switch to trains to make the project profitable.

"If you look at the long-term projections for rides in this state," said Michael Rossi, an authority board member and former vice president of Bank of America, "we only need less than 3% total ride changes [to high-speed trains] from cars and aviation to break even, and more of that will come from cars than aviation."

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Submitted Feb 21, 2012 By: Mudsprings

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ExplorerWA Champion Author Washington Posts:4,062 Points:794,225 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 9:50:48 PM Ignore ExplorerWA Report Abuse If they want it, let them have it if they pay for it.
SavingInNC Champion Author North Carolina Posts:5,773 Points:1,090,540 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 8:16:52 PM Ignore SavingInNC Report Abuse I love trains but too much politics
glorioussnookie Champion Author Tennessee Posts:3,761 Points:699,370 Joined:Feb 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 1:59:46 PM Ignore glorioussnookie Report Abuse Definitely take a few minutes and check out the links SkyWarnTX has in their comments! The news videos are real eye openers!
justme888CA Sophomore Author California Posts:205 Points:147,990 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 9:38:26 AM Ignore justme888CA Report Abuse I've never ridden on light rail or train..sounds like it might be something to consider
SkyWarnTX All-Star Author Texas Posts:947 Points:57,185 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 7:47:06 AM Ignore SkyWarnTX Report Abuse --- The "ENRON LOOP HOLE" allows WALL STREET SPECULATORS to legally trade in the OIL FUTURES MARKET... CLICK HERE to WATCH the VIDEO explaining the ENRON LOOP HOLE ?? Think SPECULATORS are causing the RISE in OIL Prices ?? ---
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,135 Points:1,294,445 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 6:11:17 AM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse You might be surprised. In charlotte a ton of people that would never ride a city bus love riding the light rail train. Something about trains.
ClarkSC Champion Author South Carolina Posts:3,063 Points:1,008,480 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 5:59:39 AM Ignore ClarkSC Report Abuse It's all smoke and mirrors.
fuel2use Champion Author Seattle Posts:3,473 Points:730,400 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 5:33:40 AM Ignore fuel2use Report Abuse Just look what they did in the 1960s with freways.
pscamp Champion Author Ottawa Posts:3,256 Points:472,110 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 5:33:27 AM Ignore pscamp Report Abuse Sigh....
NGC4565 Champion Author Reading Posts:3,734 Points:743,990 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 5:03:24 AM Ignore NGC4565 Report Abuse If Californians really want this, then let them pay for it with local funds. Don't ask people from Iowa or Nebraska to contribute their tax dollars towards this.
kenji554 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:1,216 Points:510,575 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 4:30:49 AM Ignore kenji554 Report Abuse Build it and they will come. Price it right and they will run to it.
otherdave Champion Author Indiana Posts:3,378 Points:1,266,235 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 4:03:59 AM Ignore otherdave Report Abuse Only in the PRK!
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:10,082 Points:2,345,680 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 3:43:34 AM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse This is just the kind of thing that obama and the energy department could support. It has loser and waste of taxpayer money written all over it.
Luckylindy Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,499 Points:1,124,145 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 3:10:23 AM Ignore Luckylindy Report Abuse One word, Monorail! Just ask the Simpsons.
OHMS Champion Author Orange County Posts:13,701 Points:1,688,855 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 2:35:48 AM Ignore OHMS Report Abuse San Francisco International Airport spokesman Michael McCarron said there are more than 500 flights a week between San Francisco and airports in the Los Angeles Basin, including Los Angeles International, Burbank, Ontario and Santa Ana.
eromitlab Champion Author Huntsville Posts:7,311 Points:1,451,160 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:39:04 AM Ignore eromitlab Report Abuse Ever driven from San Francisco to Los Angeles? It's ridiculous. You are free, to spend eight hours on the highway with your car sucking $5/gal gas, breathing the exhaust of everyone around you to get to some concrete jungle where you're going to sit in traffic because there's always traffic.
Mowerman08 Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:4,745 Points:1,215,070 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:38:23 AM Ignore Mowerman08 Report Abuse Maybe by then (2040) that will be the only transportation available if Obama has his way.
TommyTraveler Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:8,664 Points:1,695,380 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:31:37 AM Ignore TommyTraveler Report Abuse Useless spending.
trinda1 Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:2,011 Points:544,795 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:28:46 AM Ignore trinda1 Report Abuse Just spendîñg and spending.
alphascan Champion Author Minnesota Posts:8,236 Points:1,780,025 Joined:Jul 2001	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:28:12 AM Ignore alphascan Report Abuse If Joe Biden thinks it is a good idea; it isn't.
speedys Champion Author Utah Posts:7,002 Points:2,555,960 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:26:50 AM Ignore speedys Report Abuse It will work in the more populated areas but not in the less populated areas of the west and midwest.
mrbee Champion Author Little Rock Posts:3,738 Points:2,462,685 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:25:53 AM Ignore mrbee Report Abuse Waste of money.
LilRedWagonIN Champion Author Indiana Posts:7,761 Points:1,552,210 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:25:24 AM Ignore LilRedWagonIN Report Abuse More likely to believe estimates if made by someone impartial instead of 'state rail officials' depending on funding to pay for their jobs.
Krykson All-Star Author Chicago Posts:840 Points:247,285 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:21:54 AM Ignore Krykson Report Abuse Interesting
DirtDauber Champion Author San Antonio Posts:6,766 Points:1,624,535 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:20:17 AM Ignore DirtDauber Report Abuse They are so broke that they can't find nine cents, much less $9 Billion. Pie in the Sky.
vulcan96 Champion Author Ohio Posts:26,879 Points:3,100,750 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:19:03 AM Ignore vulcan96 Report Abuse i won't live long enough to see it.
bondo Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:3,496 Points:759,835 Joined:May 2001	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:18:00 AM Ignore bondo Report Abuse Silly to think that LRT or HSR is worth constructing.
ScorpDrvr All-Star Author Sacramento Posts:522 Points:178,185 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:16:54 AM Ignore ScorpDrvr Report Abuse There is something to be said for being the industrialized nation with the slowest rail system. Goes well with the poorest maintained roads.
Tundralimited2009 Champion Author Dallas Posts:38,812 Points:1,447,425 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:14:24 AM Ignore Tundralimited2009 Report Abuse ...long term projections...
wulf2000 Champion Author Miami Posts:3,017 Points:1,386,430 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:13:22 AM Ignore wulf2000 Report Abuse California has a deficit of 20 billion plus deficit and it will cost over 100 billion to complete the high speed rail. Those official in California is absolutely brilliant.
HA4CNN Champion Author Toronto Posts:5,604 Points:1,539,490 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:11:00 AM Ignore HA4CNN Report Abuse Try it for fun but not for savings.
DozenSpeed Champion Author St. Louis Posts:1,293 Points:391,550 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:10:33 AM Ignore DozenSpeed Report Abuse This could work, provided the train line was 100% unsubsidized private sector and there was a ticket tax that would be spent on roadway maintenance. But this is california so no doubt it will be set up wrong, run bloatedly and be half as good as it should be. One word, AMTRACK
GryphonX Champion Author Nevada Posts:6,095 Points:1,585,525 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:10:16 AM Ignore GryphonX Report Abuse Yeah ... I don't think so ... This, too will wind up as a taxpayer subsidized boondoggle ...
RedRam2005 Champion Author San Antonio Posts:7,724 Points:1,495,715 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:10:14 AM Ignore RedRam2005 Report Abuse More debt...I have little faith it will be used.
10k Champion Author North Carolina Posts:21,226 Points:2,251,095 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:10:05 AM Ignore 10k Report Abuse are these the same type of people who believe ethanol will cure the world's problems ??..
no8c Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,794 Points:702,150 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:09:48 AM Ignore no8c Report Abuse Thanks for posting this article!
gudrench Champion Author Houston Posts:2,623 Points:529,990 Joined:Mar 2003	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:09:25 AM Ignore gudrench Report Abuse I'm skeptical.
SBlouch Champion Author San Antonio Posts:8,719 Points:1,856,320 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:09:12 AM Ignore SBlouch Report Abuse I think if it is built, they will use it.
northeast2 Champion Author New York Posts:3,849 Points:1,007,200 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:07:16 AM Ignore northeast2 Report Abuse High speed rail is great, but we're a car culture. This would work much better on the East Coast where the rail infrastructure already exists, people are habituated to train travel, population (and customer) density are greater, and the train stations are near where you want to be and have well developed mass transit hubs for transfers.
The_DR Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,770 Points:582,140 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:06:33 AM Ignore The_DR Report Abuse I'll be 79 by then. I'll wait and see.
joezIN Champion Author Gary Posts:1,663 Points:331,810 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:06:12 AM Ignore joezIN Report Abuse SAY WHAT/
runout9 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,240 Points:978,145 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:05:33 AM Ignore runout9 Report Abuse With pump prices climbing while America is disallowed to drill offshore, onshore on Federal Lands & ANWR for America's rich resources many will vote for this rail. $8.00 gas will generate a lot of votes.
btex49 Champion Author Austin Posts:2,705 Points:528,155 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:03:58 AM Ignore btex49 Report Abuse California already has high speed rail... what is the profitability of exisiting rail options?
Tigercat88 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,182 Points:613,940 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:03:25 AM Ignore Tigercat88 Report Abuse The Lies keep coming.
stephen2155 Champion Author North Carolina Posts:3,014 Points:655,330 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:03:10 AM Ignore stephen2155 Report Abuse Ok
fieldt Champion Author Lansing Posts:3,920 Points:726,800 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:02:05 AM Ignore fieldt Report Abuse Laughable!
Ron77095 Champion Author Houston Posts:3,045 Points:599,650 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Feb 21, 2012 12:01:16 AM Ignore Ron77095 Report Abuse wow.
StanleyCup All-Star Author Chicago Posts:682 Points:523,540 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 20, 2012 11:57:45 PM Ignore StanleyCup Report Abuse High speed trains are great, try one before you put them down.
Petrothirst Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:2,286 Points:418,865 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Feb 20, 2012 11:56:13 PM Ignore Petrothirst Report Abuse I hope they don't stand too close. They just might get sucked in.
Bussman Champion Author Dallas Posts:5,497 Points:1,355,960 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 20, 2012 11:55:17 PM Ignore Bussman Report Abuse Very costly and we can ill afford it.