henry6However, we have an energy cartel in this country which continues to hold us to coal and oil because 1) their investment nest eggs are there and, 2) they don't want to think nor want us to think, they don't want our politicians to think anything else. Politicians are afraid of change. Energy companies are afraid of losing lots of change if we went with more rail and more electric rail.
How true!! In the US alone, the proven reserves of oil, coal and natural gas are worth in today's dollars $28.5 trillion. Canada another $20.2 trillion. If anyone thinks for one second the companies that control such assets are going to look favorably at conservation and developing sustainable sources, i.e., anything that reduces the value of their assets, "there are several fine old bridges I can offer you quite cheaply."
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
May we please have a link to "today's news item about Amtrak's egregious fouling of the pristine air at Rensselaer". I can't convince my friend googoo to show it to me.
Patrick Boylan
Free yacht rides, 27' sailboat, zip code 19114 Delaware River, get great Delair bridge photos from the river. Send me a private message
RIDEWITHMEHENRY is the name for our almost monthly day of riding trains and transit in either the NYCity or Philadelphia areas including all commuter lines, Amtrak, subways, light rail and trolleys, bus and ferries when warranted. No fees, just let us know you want to join the ride and pay your fares. Ask to be on our email list or find us on FB as RIDEWITHMEHENRY (all caps) to get descriptions of each outing.
If we had a truly modern rail infrastructure, that would be just one of many electrification of RoW projects.
In light of today's news item about Amtrak's egregious fouling of the pristine air at Rensselaer, and thinking about rail passenger service generally in New York, is it not maybe time to think about electrifying the rest of the distance from Croton-Harmon upriver to Rensselaer? Would this massive project pay for itself in, say, thirty years? Fifty years?
Certainly creative financing could turn this into a needed infrastructure project with thousands of well-paying jobs for people in the Hudson Valley.
By the way, I have over the years spent, as a result of my relentless riding of The Lake Shore Limited, so much time at Rensselaer that I almost qualify to vote there. I know full well that the sensitivity these days in the Albany-Rensselaer area is more about Bakken crude CSX trains in Albany, than Empire Service and The Lake Shore Limited. Still, what about electrifying the old Hudson River Rail Road?
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