To paraphrase legendary investor Peter Lynch, "Invest in what you know people need."
You know trains well, as shown in a slew of reader comments from last week's article on high-speed rail.
In only one week, you presented so many common-sense reasons to stimulate fast rail transit in the U.S., it is truly mind-boggling that nothing has been done to date.
Readers Give Their Reasons for High-Speed Rail
Hey Washington, need a business reason? How about electrical outlets by the seats and access to ground-based Internet? Reader Brek remarked that he has even "looked for real estate near a station" while taking the train in the Los Angeles region. But, Brek laments, land "probably doesn't carry any premium for being near a station."
Aren't we trying to raise home values in this country? Commuters want easy access to fast transportation, and they'll pay for proximity. Simple as that.
Philip S. highlights the pain-in-the-neck factor that would lure millions of drivers nationwide to an advanced train system. In Chicagoland specifically, "a monorail from Joliet to Chicago would save considerable commute time, avoid traffic delays, save fuel, and save lives." Yet, Philip's glasses aren't rose-colored. He points out the fact that many rail riders in the middle of the U.S. need a way to get to and from train hubs. . . Well, a park-and-ride system paired with smaller regional shuttles could go a long way.
Joe J. thinks high-speed rail is "long overdue in the U.S." And if there's one chord your responses struck over and over, it was frustration.
"Learn from the success of others," says one reader who wants to electrify and restore the train system, and get away from diesel-powered locomotives.
Stephanie I. learned how transformative a sophisticated rail system could be when she traveled on Japan's shinkansen, the world's busiest high-speed system.
Traveling at 130 miles per hour, Stephanie learned to love high-speed rail while watching the Japanese countryside whiz by.
That was in 1965, just a year after the shinkansen began operation. Fast-forward 44 years and 9 presidents, and Stephanie "can't believe how backward" the U.S. is. You've got plenty of company, Stephanie!
And it's not just about the need for speed. Stephanie's got a bad back and can't travel by plane. "Hence, I never travel. But I'd love to. Tourism would get a huge boost from older people. We'd go everywhere."
So, there we see a clear benefit to Americans with a variety of physical conditions (not to mention fear of flying), as well as an influx of new money into sightseeing and such.
Comfort is a major component of the rail travel experience. Listen to your iPod, read the paper, or nod off. It's up to you. (I usually try for the first and end up doing the last.)
In much of the world, train service includes the same kind of aisle service flight attendants provide. Believe it or not, the air industry got that idea from the choo-choo!
Which brings us to a strange pivot point between the status quo and the simmering potential. . . maglev (magnetic levitation) rail between airports and city centers.
Maglev Moves Faster
I rode the maglev line from Shanghai's international airport right to Longyang Road in the city and watched the digits tick up, up, and way past any speedometer I'd ever seen before.
The Shanghai maglev goes from 0 to 220 mph in just 2 minutes! Expect to rocket over 280 — cruising speed — and complete the 19-mile trip in 7 or 8 minutes.
With millions of new drivers hitting the road every year, the Shanghai maglev helps prevent congestion on the way to China's 3rd busiest airport.
Is maglev viable here in the U.S.? Many of you voiced your support, including WB's suggestion for a "maglev incorporating superconductor technology" as a means of transmitting electricity while running rail lines.
Smart grid meets smart rail. . . now there's an idea!
A maglev line from Anaheim, California to Las Vegas, Nevada has been on the drawing board for decades, as an attempt to pull traffic off the I-15 highway corridor.
But just since the beginning of June, Nevada senator and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid seems to have given up on maglev in favor of a conventional (probably diesel) high-speed train called the DesertXPress. Instead of running on a cushion of air like maglev, the latest proposal is back to wheels and aims for around a 150 mph peak speed — just above what the Japanese achieved over a generation ago.
"Maglev is not a priority for me anymore," the Leader said on the subject. "We need to get people moving."
Well, at least we agree on that.
Regards,
Sam Hopkins
P.S. Employing high-speed rail on a large-scale basis will meen numerous new electricity requirements. This is where the synergies of cleantech come into play. Soon, we could have high-speed trains being powered by clean energy. But none of this will happen without the smart grid, the technology that's tying it all together.
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