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Well said, Ed! Just when I was about to post, and I read your reply. Bravo. Especially on that last point. Herb, if you are reading this, the point is, just because everyone else does something it doesn't mean we ought to. What makes you think the TGV or Shinkasen model will even work here? I should point out that the density in Japan makes the NEC look like the Sahara. THE most dense population in the world! No real freeways in the sense that we know them, and cars are mostly puny and underpowered... just as most city streets are not suitable for high or medium speed auto use, and cater mostly to pedestrians. Plus, gas and oil are prohibitively expensive in Japan. And conditions in Europe? Ok, point made. Nuff said. When I started this circus with The First Post, (and please don't be offended- I consider myself part of said circus-) my entire point was that any solution MUST take into account the special conditions that only exist in the US. Supply and demand are the rules of the marketplace. I cover transportation for a local market pub, and I worked this particular topic quite recently- air use is down almost 15% nationally, much more regionally. Only a few carriers are making profits or even covering their costs. (Southwest is! Alaskan is!) If the airlines are not doing well... it's cause there are too many flights, too many planes, too many carriers. Shut some down! Don't just hand them some tax dollars, pat them on the head, and say, "good boy, next time you make a bad biz decision, just call on Uncle Sugar"! We should not reward failure. So, too, for rail. If a route cannot cover it's OPERATIONAL costs, let it go... or let the local community decide if they want to make the social decision to subsidize it. But DON'T impose arbitrary political routes from the floor of the US Congress.
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