Building high-speed rail will be like standing in the chilly vestibule of a mid-winter Amtrak train in Chicago and burning million-dollar bills to keep warm. But that’s what happens when you base your transportation policies on the slogan from a Kevin Costner movie rather than on real data.
That from the ever-worth reading Antiplanner. How dare Ed Glaeser question the brilliance of high-speed rail? Did I mention that “they” want to build such a line between Rochester (yes Rochester) and New York City?
Good link, thanks.
High speed and light rail are two fetishes of “progressives” that I don’t get.
If I could get from Rochester to NYC in 3 hours or less by train for a cheaper price than flying, there’d be no sense for me to fly…
The point is that it would be a cheaper “nominal” price … to you … but find me a justification for why I should pay for your trip from Rochester to NYC? Of course you would want to do it if the price was right – that is why the idea of light rail is so appealing.
