California High Speed Rail proposal to be on ballot.

[passengerfan]

What's cheaper building this or widening US 101 , I-5 & SR 99? And in the long run?

Rgds IGN

Even if they widen all of the highways its is still going to take 6-1/2 hours to drive to LA from Stockton. I can board a HSR and in just 2-1/2 hours be in LA. Sounds good to me. We have no direct air servive to LA from Stockton, its either drive to LA or take the present Amtrak Train-Bus service which is no faster than driving. Or I can drive to Sacramentos airport and leave my car and fly to LA which takes the same time as if I drive.

The HSR should have been built twenty years ago in California's case. And should be in its second phase of expansion by now. I really hope the voters of California take on this expensive bond issue and maybe they are losing their love of the car at the prices for gasoline which are only going to continue to increase.

The other important issue with the HSR is it will be green. Clean electric power certainly beats the smoke from diesels or jet engines. We have to make a start somewhere in California getting people to leave their cars behind. I personally have not owned a car for twenty-two years now and have found it cheaper to rent when I need to go somewhere. Once or twice a month I rent a car to go grocery shopping, and what other shopping I need to do. I go visit a casino or two and turn the car back in. If I need a car for a week there is all kinds of deals from the rental companies. From where I live I am within walking distance of restaurants, event center, theaters, and sports complexes.

Next month I am taking a vacation by Jet to Orlando to Disneyworld and have a nice neighbor who will drive me to the Sacramento airport and pick me up on  my return. I would have taken Amtrak but the round about route to get there and the cost of a roomette did not compare to my $560 round trip airfare for two people. All arrangements are made for the Disneyworld airport shuttle to pick us up and return us eight days later to Orlando airport. I would have spent $2431 for the two of us to Amtrak there and back and used an additional weeks vacation time.

Sorry Amtrak and I have traveled extensively in the past on Amtrak but not this time. Maybe if the Sunset still operated to Jacksonville I might have seriously considered it.

Al - in - Stockton  

[narig01]

What's cheaper building this or widening US 101 , I-5 & SR 99? And in the long run?

Rgds IGN

[Nataraj]

I am going to vote for this. It is needed, and needed now.

[passengerfan]

And today Arnold said the state is broke and needs to borrow $7 billion to stay in business.  Too bad the request wasn't in before the House signed off on the financial bailout today.  It started as a three page request and by the time everybody threw in the pork it was 451 pages long. Business as usual in  Congress. Belly up to the pig trough and screw the taxpayers.

Isn't that the way Congress has always done it especially under Pelosi.

Here is the corrected link to the California High Speed Rail.

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/gallery.aspx

Al - in - Stockton 

[ndbprr]

And today Arnold said the state is broke and needs to borrow $7 billion to stay in business.  Too bad the request wasn't in before the House signed off on the financial bailout today.  It started as a three page request and by the time everybody threw in the pork it was 451 pages long. Business as usual in  Congress. Belly up to the pig trough and screw the taxpayers.

[passengerfan]

Here is the link to the California Rail proposal.

http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/galleryaspx

This will give anyone all of the info they will ever need.

Al - in - Stockton