 |
Re: All sorts of options
Author: Not going to happen
Date: 08-30-2019 - 12:26
Be realistic. Booming? growing yes. 480,000 People you listed, what % give a rats-ass about a train that does not go where they want to go IF they do choose to leave town.
Urban transit systems have riders because of commuter traffic. Not going to happen in Oregons's Willamette Valley, even if you ran trains every 30 min. at 150 mph. If you could get from Downtown Portland to Eugene in just over 1 hour, Other than 5-6 Home Duck Games a year, any maybe some students that would commute depending on ticket price, who would ride and support it? It would already be BILLIONS in the hole from building and how much subsidy per passenger ticket purchased would it require per train run?
Some state workers would travel to Salem, but still colossal waste of $$$. You could build dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes on the freeway for WAY less money with speeds of 70-90 mph(or more) with faster overall transit times for virtually all trips.
Technology is passing you by while you're sitting in your steam-shovel. Trains have poor asset utilization per passenger mile, and that's almost impossible to overcome over extended distances.
les Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are we talking about the same stretch of land.
> Have you seen the growth rates of these cities
> south of Portland? That I-5 stretch south of
> Portland is becoming more and more of a monster to
> penetrate and it is only going to get worse. Once
> the Vancouver to Portland section gets it's new
> train sets, gradual upgrades south of Portland
> will occur. ODOT doesn't need to come up with all
> the funds at once. And besides, look at who is
> the head of oversight for transportation in the US
> Congress. The Starlight is not going anywhere,
> but will only be enhanced.
>
> WES is a non-starter, ie, is there a more anemic
> commuter line in the country?
>
> Population Eugene-Springfield 240,000 and
> booming.
> Salem 180,000 and booming.
> Albany 60,000 and booming.
>
> Demand usually goes up with population growth.
> Just need the right investments.
>
>
>
Urban transit systems have riders because of commuter traffic. Not going to happen in Oregons's Willamette Valley, even if you ran trains every 30 min. at 150 mph. If you could get from Downtown Portland to Eugene in just over 1 hour, Other than 5-6 Home Duck Games a year, any maybe some students that would commute depending on ticket price, who would ride and support it? It would already be BILLIONS in the hole from building and how much subsidy per passenger ticket purchased would it require per train run?
Some state workers would travel to Salem, but still colossal waste of $$$. You could build dedicated autonomous vehicle lanes on the freeway for WAY less money with speeds of 70-90 mph(or more) with faster overall transit times for virtually all trips.
Technology is passing you by while you're sitting in your steam-shovel. Trains have poor asset utilization per passenger mile, and that's almost impossible to overcome over extended distances.
les Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are we talking about the same stretch of land.
> Have you seen the growth rates of these cities
> south of Portland? That I-5 stretch south of
> Portland is becoming more and more of a monster to
> penetrate and it is only going to get worse. Once
> the Vancouver to Portland section gets it's new
> train sets, gradual upgrades south of Portland
> will occur. ODOT doesn't need to come up with all
> the funds at once. And besides, look at who is
> the head of oversight for transportation in the US
> Congress. The Starlight is not going anywhere,
> but will only be enhanced.
>
> WES is a non-starter, ie, is there a more anemic
> commuter line in the country?
>
> Population Eugene-Springfield 240,000 and
> booming.
> Salem 180,000 and booming.
> Albany 60,000 and booming.
>
> Demand usually goes up with population growth.
> Just need the right investments.
>
>
>
