Comments on: Should Airlines Fear High-Speed Rail? (Part 2) http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2009/06/26/should-airlines-fear-high-speed-rail-part-2/ Dan Webb on Aviation Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:36:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: lexslamman http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2009/06/26/should-airlines-fear-high-speed-rail-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1046 lexslamman Sun, 28 Jun 2009 01:32:04 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/?p=1130#comment-1046 Amtrak's northeast corridor was built in the late 90's and early 00's with grade separation and positive train control. High speed rail is going to happen - perhaps sooner, perhaps later - but in my opinion it will be a big benefit to the airlines, especially in helping restore them to profitability. We shouldn't look at planes and trains as if they were in competition - they both serve different purposes and use different methods to accomplish similar goals, the efficient movement of people and goods. You can't even rightfully claim that one is 'better' than another. Amtrak’s northeast corridor was built in the late 90′s and early 00′s with grade separation and positive train control. High speed rail is going to happen – perhaps sooner, perhaps later – but in my opinion it will be a big benefit to the airlines, especially in helping restore them to profitability. We shouldn’t look at planes and trains as if they were in competition – they both serve different purposes and use different methods to accomplish similar goals, the efficient movement of people and goods. You can’t even rightfully claim that one is ‘better’ than another.

]]> By: Court http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2009/06/26/should-airlines-fear-high-speed-rail-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1043 Court Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:45:41 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/?p=1130#comment-1043 I can't even read the post and comments on the other blog without getting a stiff neck from shaking my head. The U.S. rail infrastructure is not set up for high speed rail. The investment involved would be on the magnitude of the interstate highway system. Sure, high speed rail could work on some East and West Coast corridors, but that's exactly where you can't find the land to put the high speed tracks. Consider that with true airline-competing high speed rail you can't have road crossings. This is the level of infrastructure change that needs to happen. Perhaps we should be focusing on teleportation instead. There's a good chance we'd see that first ;) I can’t even read the post and comments on the other blog without getting a stiff neck from shaking my head. The U.S. rail infrastructure is not set up for high speed rail. The investment involved would be on the magnitude of the interstate highway system. Sure, high speed rail could work on some East and West Coast corridors, but that’s exactly where you can’t find the land to put the high speed tracks.

Consider that with true airline-competing high speed rail you can’t have road crossings. This is the level of infrastructure change that needs to happen. Perhaps we should be focusing on teleportation instead. There’s a good chance we’d see that first ;)

]]> By: Ken http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2009/06/26/should-airlines-fear-high-speed-rail-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1042 Ken Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:37:05 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/?p=1130#comment-1042 A lot of interesting words, but... The airlines have nothing to fear from high-speed rail because it just ain't gonna happen, at least in our lifetime. And if it ever did, half the current airlines will be out of business by then anyway. A lot of interesting words, but…
The airlines have nothing to fear from high-speed rail because it just ain’t gonna happen, at least in our lifetime. And if it ever did, half the current airlines will be out of business by then anyway.

]]>