Pipeline

yes, but they don't transport people the same way trains do. what needs improvement is passenger rail

Everyone uses oil and gas. Very few people ride trains.

"Very few people ride trains."

*laughs in japanese*

I wasn't aware the Biden was the President of Japan.

i was saying how the high-speed rail network in japan has accumulated 10 billion passengers since its inception in the 60s. if we got trains like that, more people would ride them. unfortunately, most of america's trains are amtrak long-distance services

Japan is physically 1/10 the size of the US. The US is geographically different. We have airline service that criss-crosses the country and does it in 1/4 the time of the so-called high speed rail. Imagine putting a high speed rail between SF & SLC. It would cost $20Bn to build. And it wouldn't be high speed because it would have stop in Oakland, Concord, Sacramento, Reno, Elko, Wendover before getting to SLC. It would be a 6-7 hour trip when you can do that in a plane in less than an hour and a half. And high speed rail tickets would be 4 times the cost of a plane ticket. (We did all that analysis in California for the high speed rail that was proposed here.)

"We have airline service that criss-crosses the country and does it in 1/4 the time of the so-called high speed rail"

No ome is asking for trains across the country. We're asking for corridors between Chicago and Indianapolis, Detroit, etc. From Miami to Orlando. From Dallas to Houston. Airplanes require trips to the airport outside of the city two to three hours early. This makes an hour of flying into 4 hours of travel. High-speed rail makes the trip into 2 hours.

"And high speed rail tickets would be 4 times the cost of a plane ticket."

Brightline only will cost $50 for an Orlando to Miami. Southwest Airlines costs over $100.

"(We did all that analysis in California for the high speed rail that was proposed here.)"

California suffers from government corruption. A private company called Brightline takes less time and less money.

"Imagine putting a high speed rail between SF & SLC. It would cost $20Bn to build. And it wouldn't be high speed because it would have stop in Oakland, Concord, Sacramento, Reno, Elko, Wendover before getting to SLC"

It would also be more profitable due to less capacity constraints than airlines, less fueling costs, proximity to downtown areas, and the cost of train conductor salary when compared to pilots. Furthermore, Sacramento to SLC makes more sense due to being in the range where HSR actually functions

"Brightline only will cost $50 for an Orlando to Miami. Southwest Airlines costs over $100."
I just checked Expedia. Frontier has Orlando to Miami flights for $56.

Fronteir is also one of the worst airline companies in the US, while Brightline will provide electrical outlets and free wifi.

" Airplanes require trips to the airport outside of the city two to three hours early." And you think trains don't? There will be one terminal in a city just like one airport. And it won't be in the city itself. No way will they build High Speed Rail to downtown Miami or Houston or Dallas.

Orlando to Miami is only 200 miles. Too short for High Speed Rail. Given slow speed required in populated areas, acceleration and deceleration, it would take 2 hours at least.

"It would also be more profitable due to less capacity constraints than airlines"
Uh, no. One rail line means one train. You have to have sidings so that East Bound and West Bound can operate at the same time. Maybe, just maybe, you could get 4 or 5 trips a day. Airlines can fly that route hourly. More capacity constraints on rail.

"proximity to downtown areas"

Nope. They can't build a train station closer to downtown San Francisco or Sacramento or SLC any closer to downtown than the airport is.

"Furthermore, Sacramento to SLC makes more sense due to being in the range where HSR actually functions" But Sacramento is not a major population area in California. And traffic Sacto to SLC is light, as shown by low number of flights. And you can't skip Reno. And building HSR over the Sierras would be monstrously expensive so HSR could never recover the capital expense. Next, figure out how the would build HSR around the mountain next to the Great Salt Lake. Barely enough room for the highway.

"No way will they build High Speed Rail to downtown Miami or Houston or Dallas."

Google "Brightline Miami Central" into Google Maps. It's already been built.

"Orlando to Miami is only 200 miles. Too short for High Speed Rail."

How is it too short? A high-spped train that admittedly went faster than Brightline would accomplish that in less than an hour.

"One rail line means one train. You have to have sidings so that East Bound and West Bound can operate at the same time. Maybe, just maybe, you could get 4 or 5 trips a day. Airlines can fly that route hourly. More capacity constraints on rail"

Two rail lines paired can run at least 4 trains in multiple directions per mile at all times, whereas airline capacity is limited by takeoff times, terminal space, and how many planes are congested at a particular airport. I took a flight from Newark Liberty that was supposed to be 1h30m and an extra 45 minutes were added because of other planes taking off. This isn't mentioning the time I spent un the airport (2 hours), making over 50% of the dedicated travel time not even flying. 4 hours of my life i will never get back.

"Nope. They can't build a train station closer to downtown San Francisco or Sacramento or SLC any closer to downtown than the airport is."

A look at SF's station in google maps suggests otherwise. Train Stations require less space than airports. Compare the size of Tokyo Station to Atlanta Airport. Keep in mind that american cities in the past had large train stations that were demolished by the government to make way for freeways.

"But Sacramento is not a major population area in California. And traffic Sacto to SLC is light, as shown by low number of flights."

It's not really a high-profile corridor compared to SF & LA, so bringing it up is a little weird.

"And you can't skip Reno."

Even 2 hours of train travel is faster than 1 hour of flying and 2-3 hors of waiting in the airport. This oncludes stopping at stations.

"And building HSR over the Sierras would be monstrously expensive so HSR could never recover the capital expense"

A) Japanese companies recover losses from building through mountains

B) airlines receive billions in subsidies every year