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Re: SCAG adopts high-speed rail agreement=Good News
Author: BOB2
Date: 02-06-2012 - 07:19
This is one of the first indications of the new majority on the CHSRA Board taking some control, and redirecting the "runaway money train" back to reality from the HSR fiasco that was being planned and designed under the previous CHSRA Board majority.
An approach working from urban segments, with usable truly improvements, shared by current services, was promoted, and the bloated costs for the system were rejected by Brown, in an interview this weekend.
Brown is still apparently afraid to cancel/redesign the bloated overdesigned and largely useless segment in the Valley from "nowhere to nowhere" (Chowchilla to Oildale), that does nothing except suck up money, for fear of angering at least one senator who has significant clout over other transportation needs for California. But, I am getting some reports that even she is apparently beginning to get antsy about the political blowback she is getting over her position.
Several efforts are now underway, by several different groups who originally supported the HSR concept, but have been shocked by the stupidity, to look at a Plan B, that is phased and affordable, and that would be fully integrated with our successful regional and intercity systems.
I expect to see more departures, shortly, from the HSR team, as some of those who've been promoting the "cost is no object" approach to HSR no longer appear to have much sway.
I also see that the liklihood for reform legislation moving forward to "reset" some of the HSR parameters to move to a more affordable and rational performance criteria is now much improved.
This is all good news for those taxpayers who recognize the need for a first world rail passenger system, but don't want to be ripped off by an army of useless eunuchs wasting so much tax money on an irrational and predictable fiasco.
As I noted, some members of Congress and the Senate are still screwing around with this project, some are still committed to the segment from "nowhere to nowhere", and some are still refusing to consider reprogramming those funds to useful rail investments. They clearly need more intense pressure to help them see why this more practical and affordable approach to HSR is a better alternative than the current "runaway money train" or "political gravy train" HSR project alternative that now has no real chance of being financed and/or ever completed.
An approach working from urban segments, with usable truly improvements, shared by current services, was promoted, and the bloated costs for the system were rejected by Brown, in an interview this weekend.
Brown is still apparently afraid to cancel/redesign the bloated overdesigned and largely useless segment in the Valley from "nowhere to nowhere" (Chowchilla to Oildale), that does nothing except suck up money, for fear of angering at least one senator who has significant clout over other transportation needs for California. But, I am getting some reports that even she is apparently beginning to get antsy about the political blowback she is getting over her position.
Several efforts are now underway, by several different groups who originally supported the HSR concept, but have been shocked by the stupidity, to look at a Plan B, that is phased and affordable, and that would be fully integrated with our successful regional and intercity systems.
I expect to see more departures, shortly, from the HSR team, as some of those who've been promoting the "cost is no object" approach to HSR no longer appear to have much sway.
I also see that the liklihood for reform legislation moving forward to "reset" some of the HSR parameters to move to a more affordable and rational performance criteria is now much improved.
This is all good news for those taxpayers who recognize the need for a first world rail passenger system, but don't want to be ripped off by an army of useless eunuchs wasting so much tax money on an irrational and predictable fiasco.
As I noted, some members of Congress and the Senate are still screwing around with this project, some are still committed to the segment from "nowhere to nowhere", and some are still refusing to consider reprogramming those funds to useful rail investments. They clearly need more intense pressure to help them see why this more practical and affordable approach to HSR is a better alternative than the current "runaway money train" or "political gravy train" HSR project alternative that now has no real chance of being financed and/or ever completed.
