[jmdickens]

While not a fan, I kind of enjoyed the speech....dont judge.

[ATrain]

"Pass this bill, right now," is mostly what I remember, and that he had a way to pay for it. If you can pay for infrastructure upgrades, then I'm all for it. We do need to fix our roadways, develop high speed rail, improve airport capacity, and fix our school buildings.

[jbock13]

Yeah. I agree. Those roads and airports in Guatemala are sure way cooler than ours!

Anybody notice that when the Democrats took office, all the sudden the infrastructure apparently crumbled? First world problems. We have the best infrastructure on the planet. And some of you who haven't ever left the country... you might need to to see how great we've got it.

Oh and high speed rail is the biggest farce ever. Check out the unprofitable Orlando to Tampa rail line they keep trying to build. Which of course, no one will ride because it takes longer on the train than it takes to drive!

[ATrain]

Yeah. I agree. Those roads and airports in Guatemala are sure way cooler than ours!

Anybody notice that when the Democrats took office, all the sudden the infrastructure apparently crumbled? First world problems. We have the best infrastructure on the planet. And some of you who haven't ever left the country... you might need to to see how great we've got it.

Oh and high speed rail is the biggest farce ever. Check out the unprofitable Orlando to Tampa rail line they keep trying to build. Which of course, no one will ride because it takes longer on the train than it takes to drive!

Our infrastructure was crumbling long before the democrats took office. When a lot of it was built during WWII and the years following, most of the overpasses and bridges were designed to last about 50-60 years, and some didn't even make it that long (remember the interstate bridge that collapsed in the upper midwest a few years ago?).

As for the Tampa/Orlando high speed rail, you're right, it will take longer on the train b/c it hasn't been built yet, and since it hasn't even been built yet its not going to turn a profit. Amtrak's ACELA in the NE is highly profitable, unlike the normal trains running through the NE corridor. And taking traffic into consideration, it is also faster (and cheaper) for me to take the train from Lynchburg to Philadelphia than it is to drive it.

Efficient intracity and intercity mass transit is a necessity as our country keeps growing and people continue to relocate to major cities and their suburbs. There is only so much room to keep adding and expanding roadways.

[jbock13]

And the reason why Amtrak's NE Line is profitable is because more people live closer together.

As the interstates and bridges, let me promise you that I-95 is much more better in shape that Peru National Route 20! (believe it or not). Or the PanAmerican highway, which is the main route to get anyplace in the country.

But to point out the one place where Amtrak is succeeding, would be to overlook the fact that everywhere else it runs, it's a financial black hole. Simply put, if you don't have a bunch of people all living on top of each other (like New York), there's no need for mass transit.

Also, look at Orlando and tell them they only have so much space for new roads They're everywhere!

I guess my overall point is this. If Amtrak wants to build, let them. But my tax money should not go to subsidize them. It's a little different than subways and metros, which can be funded more by user fees (although state governments still subsidize them heavily, which I disagree with).

[4everfsu]

The high speed rail from Tampa to Orlando had stops along the way, it was not a direct run. Proponents said it would keep cars off the roads. I guess the riders were going to use rickshaw once they arrived in either Tampa or Orlando. Stupid ideal.

Did you also know the contractors to build it would have come from Germany? And they would probably brought their own people to do the work. Another shovel ready program.

[jbock13]

Its a very simplistic argument, but I'm sick of Americans whining about how they can't hop on the light rail to forest, amherst, appomattox, etc. I'm sick of Americans complaining about the infrastructure when very few countries have any! (Only exception would be western europe). Try finding a 4 lane highway in the Andes to get where you want to go. Yet, we have built a vast number of interstates that allow trucks to be able to drive over the highest mountains of the Rockies.

[WinthropEagleFan]

Heck, look at what happened yesterday with the massive blackout in the San Diego area. A whole portion of a power grid went out for millions of people....that's a major infrastructure issue. You can call it a first-world problem, but when your economy relies heavily on electricity in order to function, a huge failure like that is a major problem. And I'm not saying it is all the government's problem to solve, but to act like there isn't infrastructure problems is naïve. Yes, the roads, electricity, water, etc may all be better here than in 99% of the rest of the world, but it doesn't mean it shouldn't be properly maintained and improved upon.

[jbock13]

I'm always amazed when I travel to West Virginia, they keep tearing up parts of the road that are perfectly fine, while ignoring parts that aren't. Same is true on 460 through Bedford County right now. Paving over roads that are fine... avoiding the torn up parts in Montvale.

Also back to the Orlando to Tampa line, the reason we know it will be unprofitable can be illistrated like this... would you fly from Orlando to Tampa? Its 80 miles. You'd have to drive to the train station. Pay a parking fee. Get on the train, which gets you to Tampa 3 minutes before driving would. Then, you've either got to grab a Taxi, or rent a car to get to your business meeting. And that's why nobody will ride it.

[pbow]

I'm a frequent user of some of the high speed rail services in other countries and I think it could really work here, or anywhere for that matter if it's done properly. I'm not saying that now is the time to build it, but traveling by high speed train is 100x time easier and much more comfortable than traveling by airplane.

[Sly Fox]

I too use those trains abroad. The difference being that when you arrive in cities connected to those rail lines in Europe and the far east, you find yourself in walking-friendly cities. Those type of cities are in short supply here in the U.S.

I love using mass transit when I travel as the locals underwrite my costs for me. But when it is my tax dollars, I'd rather they be used more practically.

[ATrain]

I fully support my tax dollars being used to link our major cities with high speed rail. Maybe not Orlando-Tampa, but cities with good mass transit systems or at least some type of light rail/subway/metro system: DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, LA, San Francisco...would be appropriate for our country.

[jbock13]

I guess with the growth of light rail, and parking issues at LU, I am quickly learning how much of an unenlightened, unprogressive, unsopheticated redneck I am. How dare I think I can drive someplace!

Just messing around.

[Purple Haize]

There is a reason the NE routes are the profitable one. Take the train from Lynchburg and in DC you come to Union Station which is where the Metro links as well. In Baltimore you go to BWI. Philly puts you right downtown, NYC puts you at Penn Station. Are you seeing a trend? Yep large metro areas and close public transit. Heck I take the train for meetings now if I am going to any of those cities. Ther are a lot of stops but at least you have leg room and power outlets!

[ATrain]

I guess with the growth of light rail, and parking issues at LU, I am quickly learning how much of an unenlightened, unprogressive, unsopheticated redneck I am. How dare I think I can drive someplace!

Just messing around.

Oh you can still drive, just be prepared to wait in traffic. Imagine what the Northeast would be w/o the trains...everytime I've taken it from Lynchburg, it was completely full from DC on.

[thepostman]

The reason the tampa/orlando line won't work (yet) is because both cities have terrible public transit. They should build their own public transit and then build a connector. That is the only way it works. They have been debating this for over 10 years now and I am sure it will continue for another 10

[rueful]

Infrastructure where most of those liberals are from is terrible. You should see some of the bridges north of Boston in mass, and the roads are absolutely terrifying to drive on because of the massive potholes.

[pbow]

I too use those trains abroad. The difference being that when you arrive in cities connected to those rail lines in Europe and the far east, you find yourself in walking-friendly cities. Those type of cities are in short supply here in the U.S.

I love using mass transit when I travel as the locals underwrite my costs for me. But when it is my tax dollars, I'd rather they be used more practically.

That is a really good point...a lot of our cities are a lot more spread out than most European cities. And as someone mentioned early, if the city that you're traveling too doesn't have a train station in the heart of the city it's pretty much useless in my opinion.

[4everfsu]

The reason the tampa/orlando line won't work (yet) is because both cities have terrible public transit. They should build their own public transit and then build a connector. That is the only way it works. They have been debating this for over 10 years now and I am sure it will continue for another 10

Tampa get a high rail, now that is funny. They could not keep the rail downtown to Harbor Island working, I believe they closed it down. You know why, not enough riders.

[jbock13]

But what about the poor who are on welfare and having babies that they can't afford to raise? SURELY THEY NEED OUR HELP TO GET THEM GET TO AN EMPLOYER FOR A JOB!!!

[thepostman]

The reason the tampa/orlando line won't work (yet) is because both cities have terrible public transit. They should build their own public transit and then build a connector. That is the only way it works. They have been debating this for over 10 years now and I am sure it will continue for another 10

Tampa get a high rail, now that is funny. They could not keep the rail downtown to Harbor Island working, I believe they closed it down. You know why, not enough riders.

Oh I know, I just think its funny so many people are upset that high speed rail between tampa and orlando but they can't even get their own local public transit in order.

[jack_sparrow81]

That stretch on I4 between Orlando and Tampa is rediculous. They do need to do something. Possibly put in a subway