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Re: Eureka City Council Mulls New Rail Line
Author: OldPoleBurner
Date: 12-31-2011 - 23:51
$3.8 million per mile is not exactly unreasonable for a W.A.G. (wild-ass guess) for the typical railroad construction costs of one mile of track. But that typical construction is where you are adding additional track to an already existing rightofway. But that is not what would be happening here. Significant cost is added for any brand new r.o.w., for significant filling, cutting, and tunneling. The price for new r.o.w. sky-rockets quickly. That's why it would be best for the CHSRA to smooze up the the UP and BNSF to share existing r.o.w. as much as possible - but I digress.....
At that price ($3.8 mil/mile) it also presupposes that this will be built, owned and operated by private enterprise, which is unlikely. But if the state of Califoulup (in polite company) builds it, it WILL cost a minimum of $38 million per mile, or at least $5 billion total. Does the illegal agribusiness that dominates the area really generate that much cash? Where else would this depressed area get $5 billion.
It further presupposes that any route is available at all, through the Coast Ranges in that area, that would permit anything even as low as a 2.2% gradient, the operational economies of which would still be very marginal. Anything steeper is certain to be totally uneconomical to operate. And Ironically, the only other feasible rail route would have to haul it all, into the shadow of its closest competitor port anyway. No matter what, the Humbolt Port will be at serious competitive disadvantage.
But the most damaging supposition of all?
That the Kaliphonyia eco-nazies that infest that area will not be exacting their poundage of extortion, ....before the first 39 feet is ever laid! Doubling the cost again.
Worse yet, if this is for coal export to China - fogetaboutit - eco-nazies from the whole nation will then be joining them, including the current occupant of the white house, who during the campaign vowed to bankrupt the American coal industry ("...Bankrupt anyone who tried build anything new [related to coal]")
It Tain't gonna happen - even if it was a good idea - which it ain't!
But, what the hey - all that civic pride and effrontery that is behind all these silly proposals, is what keeps us consultants employed - so I probably should shut the h-!! up shouldn't I..... But not to worry, Caliphony voters will never vote civic pride and effrontery out of office!
They're too dumbed down already for that.....
At that price ($3.8 mil/mile) it also presupposes that this will be built, owned and operated by private enterprise, which is unlikely. But if the state of Califoulup (in polite company) builds it, it WILL cost a minimum of $38 million per mile, or at least $5 billion total. Does the illegal agribusiness that dominates the area really generate that much cash? Where else would this depressed area get $5 billion.
It further presupposes that any route is available at all, through the Coast Ranges in that area, that would permit anything even as low as a 2.2% gradient, the operational economies of which would still be very marginal. Anything steeper is certain to be totally uneconomical to operate. And Ironically, the only other feasible rail route would have to haul it all, into the shadow of its closest competitor port anyway. No matter what, the Humbolt Port will be at serious competitive disadvantage.
But the most damaging supposition of all?
That the Kaliphonyia eco-nazies that infest that area will not be exacting their poundage of extortion, ....before the first 39 feet is ever laid! Doubling the cost again.
Worse yet, if this is for coal export to China - fogetaboutit - eco-nazies from the whole nation will then be joining them, including the current occupant of the white house, who during the campaign vowed to bankrupt the American coal industry ("...Bankrupt anyone who tried build anything new [related to coal]")
It Tain't gonna happen - even if it was a good idea - which it ain't!
But, what the hey - all that civic pride and effrontery that is behind all these silly proposals, is what keeps us consultants employed - so I probably should shut the h-!! up shouldn't I..... But not to worry, Caliphony voters will never vote civic pride and effrontery out of office!
They're too dumbed down already for that.....
