Biden announces $53 billion high-speed rail plan

[Serpo]

Washington (CNN) -- The Obama administration is proposing to spend $53 billion over the next six years to help promote the construction of a national high-speed, intercity passenger rail network, Vice President Joe Biden announced Tuesday.

The proposal represents a significant expansion of the $10.5 billion already spent on high-speed rail expansion since Obama entered office, including $8 billion in the 2009 economic stimulus package.

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http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/02/08/biden.rail.network/index.html?hpt=T1
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters potential funding sources for the plan will be outlined in the president's proposed budget, which is scheduled to be released next week.
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President Barack Obama said in last month's State of the Union address that he was setting a goal of giving 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail within 25 years.

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The proposed new investment -- including $8 billion in the upcoming fiscal year -- would accompany a streamlined application process for cities, states, and private companies seeking federal grants and loans to develop railway capacity.

"There are key places where we cannot afford to sacrifice as a nation -- one of which is infrastructure," Biden said in a written statement. There is a pressing need "to invest in a modern rail system that will help connect communities, reduce congestion and create quality, skilled manufacturing jobs that cannot be outsourced."

Biden, who commuted regularly by train between Washington and his home state of Delaware during a 36-year Senate tenure, has been a prominent advocate for railway travel and, more specifically, Amtrak.

A new high-speed rail investment, however, may face a cool reception in the new, more Republican Congress.

GOP leaders have called for more spending cuts in the wake of spiraling federal deficits.

[Glass]

I wonder how much "promotion" you get for $53 Billion? Do you get any actual rails with that?

[Serpo]

I wonder how much "promotion" you get for $53 Billion? Do you get any actual rails with that?


No just pamphlets ,they will do a study ,people will get paid heaps for this and then they knock it on the head.

If any place needs a high speed rail it has to be America, look at China it has already got one some where.America the richest and so called greatest nation on the planet has trains that are ssssslllooowwww.

[Twisted Titan]

Agreed I think China has had them for over 20 years.

We are Just beginning to "talk" about them

[Neuro]

Didn't the 'Oracle of Omaha' invest in a west coast rail network a couple of years ago? Does he still own it? I'll bet he will get a very cheap upgrade if he does...

[chad]

i don't get trains. i can take amtrack from here to minneapolis for twice as much money as a tank of gas costs, plus it's an hour longer. why would i do that?

[VX1]

We know that most existing government-subsidized trains in the US run at a huge net loss. I refuse to believe that shaving possibly 20 minutes on the time from point A to point B is going to resolve that. They're "promoting" one of these between Tampa and Orlando, which seems to make no sense. The trip only takes an hour as it is. It's going to take much longer in the train, buying a ticket, security, baggage, waiting for departure, making the proposed stops along the way, deboarding, renting a car, etc.... I've mentioned this before, but I cannot help but to believe the big push for these is coming from a certain plan called Agenda 21. The plan specifically calls for high speed trains to connect the densely populated areas (so no one can roam the elite's restricted "conservation" areas). And of course, there's always the 10 planks of communism... 6. Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State. Oh boy, a win-win for tyranny that we get to pay for!

[Libertytree]

We know that most existing government-subsidized trains in the US run at a huge net loss. I refuse to believe that shaving possibly 20 minutes on the time from point A to point B is going to resolve that. They're "promoting" one of these between Tampa and Orlando, which seems to make no sense. The trip only takes an hour as it is. It's going to take much longer in the train, buying a ticket, security, baggage, waiting for departure, making the proposed stops along the way, deboarding, renting a car, etc.... I've mentioned this before, but I cannot help but to believe the big push for these is coming from a certain plan called Agenda 21. The plan specifically calls for high speed trains to connect the densely populated areas (so no one can roam the elite's restricted "conservation" areas). And of course, there's always the 10 planks of communism... 6. Centralization of the means of communications and transportation in the hands of the State. Oh boy, a win-win for tyranny that we get to pay for!



When they say Tampa to Orlando they really mean Tampa to Disney World.

[Orion]

If people want to use trains, this is something the free market can provide. Otherwise, I am willing to bet it is business as usual for the corrupt regime.

[ximmy]

LOL... go Warren Buffett!!! Heavily invested in railroad and found a way to get taxpayers to fund his project ... You gotta love the rich...

[Sparky]

i don't get trains. i can take amtrack from here to minneapolis for twice as much money as a tank of gas costs, plus it's an hour longer. why would i do that?


Problem is, our current passenger rail service sucks.

If they could do it right, it's a good idea. I don't have confidence they will do it right.

I think the problem with the current passenger rail system is that it tries to accommodate too many smaller stations between big cities. If they had fast rails connecting the major cities that are less than 1000 miles apart, then I think it would be a good idea in the eastern U.S. Start by simply connecting these 8 metropolitan areas which each have in excess of 4 million people:

New York 19.0 Million
Chicago 9.6M
Philadelphia 6.0M
Miami 5.5M
Washington 5.5M
Atlanta 5.5M
Boston 4.6M
Detroit 4.4M

[mick silver]

i say let china build it . that way it would pay for it self

[osoab]

i say let china build it . that way it would pay for it self


http://gold-silver.us/forum/general-discussion/elite-openly-flaunts-plan-to-turn-cities-into-high-tech-slave-grids/msg168791/#msg168791

This is the link where Japan wants to pay for 50% of the High speed rail in California if they can build it.

“We’ll put up half the money for California HSR” says Japan’s Ambassador to the United States (http://www.cahsrblog.com/2011/01/%E2%80%9Cwe%E2%80%99ll-put-up-half-the-money-for-california-hsr%E2%80%9D-says-japan%E2%80%99s-ambassador-to-the-united-states/)

[ShortJohnSilver]

Devalue the currency, bankrupt the car companies, send the price of oil and gas to the sky, destroy the middle class, build trains to serve as cattle cars so the rich and elite can have their servants live far away from them...

[Cobalt]

What happened to the 10+ Billion they already spent?

Can anybody point me to a mile of working truly high speed train rail that is being used by the public? and I'm not talking about the one in Boston since it averages something like 68 MPH and doesn't really qualify as true high speed.

[mick silver]

and plus china could build the dam thing for less then half of what we can