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Re: What is John Williams Trying to Hide?
Author: Q
Date: 01-13-2008 - 15:05
Ya! Otherwise known as a consultant!
The NCRA uses stupid consultants because the stupid legislators in Sacramento studidly dictate it - same as for all California public transportation agencies. Why do you think that things like BART or light rail cost so damn much more here than anyone else - case it point: the BART extension to West Pittsburg at $56 million a mile vs the Chicago Midway Line at $17 million a mile, both similar in contruction and both over old existing rr row; or BART's latest, the 11 mile extension to SFO Airport at $150 per mile over a very circuitous route - also over existing rr row (None of this includes the price of the r.o.w.).
Compare that to even the worse run RR (UP) at 2 to 4 million per track mile - go figure. Apparently, most of this state money went to line the pockets of the required consultants and private contractors
The sorry fact is that any pursuit needful to our ecomony or culture, that falls into the trap of needing goverment "Facilitation", is going to be crushed by the idiotic strings that will surely be attached; the real purpose of which seems to be to kill rail and force all onto the more expensive highway; or perhaps just to supply free money to worthless consultants and contractors.
NCRA will be no different - nor will any other needful public activity. Their (our) only hope is that the State Legislature gets Unstupid and stops forcing the use of incompetent consultants and contractors to instead spend its money on results.
One area where the State has done a somewhat functional job is in contructing and maintaining highways. Perhaps we should do more of what works and less of what doesn't. The State or some "Joint Powers Agency" rebuilds and maintains the track; and then invites all to operate on it the same as truckers on the highway. Those could be either common carriers, private haulage, or even contract carriers, same as truckers. It does work! - use it where we need to!
The NCRA uses stupid consultants because the stupid legislators in Sacramento studidly dictate it - same as for all California public transportation agencies. Why do you think that things like BART or light rail cost so damn much more here than anyone else - case it point: the BART extension to West Pittsburg at $56 million a mile vs the Chicago Midway Line at $17 million a mile, both similar in contruction and both over old existing rr row; or BART's latest, the 11 mile extension to SFO Airport at $150 per mile over a very circuitous route - also over existing rr row (None of this includes the price of the r.o.w.).
Compare that to even the worse run RR (UP) at 2 to 4 million per track mile - go figure. Apparently, most of this state money went to line the pockets of the required consultants and private contractors
The sorry fact is that any pursuit needful to our ecomony or culture, that falls into the trap of needing goverment "Facilitation", is going to be crushed by the idiotic strings that will surely be attached; the real purpose of which seems to be to kill rail and force all onto the more expensive highway; or perhaps just to supply free money to worthless consultants and contractors.
NCRA will be no different - nor will any other needful public activity. Their (our) only hope is that the State Legislature gets Unstupid and stops forcing the use of incompetent consultants and contractors to instead spend its money on results.
One area where the State has done a somewhat functional job is in contructing and maintaining highways. Perhaps we should do more of what works and less of what doesn't. The State or some "Joint Powers Agency" rebuilds and maintains the track; and then invites all to operate on it the same as truckers on the highway. Those could be either common carriers, private haulage, or even contract carriers, same as truckers. It does work! - use it where we need to!
