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California Senate approves funds for HSR

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<p>[quote user="schlimm"]</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <div><img src="/TRCCS/Themes/trc/images/icon-quote.gif" /> <strong>Sam1:</strong></div> <div> <p> </p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <div> <blockquote> <div>The top speed for the Acela is 150 mph.  It will increase to 160 mph when they straightened out some of the kinks (rail and wire) in the New York to Washington line. Why incur the incremental cost to achieve 180 to 200 mph if 160 mph would do the trick?  Last time I checked the Germans, French, Spanish or Japanese are not going to pick-up the incremental cost to boost the speed beyond 160 mph.</div> </blockquote> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Last time you checked what and how?  I've personally ridden on many ICE's in Germany at speeds between 160 and 186 mph.  Some French TGV's I've ridden are even faster, hitting 322 kmh (201 mph) in fairly long stretches. The Eurostar route I rode from Brussels to London has stretches (in England, Belgium and France) of 300 kmh (186 mph) track.  Top speed is highly relevant when the trains are able to maintain that speed or close to it over long stretches of fast track to compensate for slower urban track and station halts, thus permitting the goal of speedy travel from station to station. [/quote]</p> <p>I should have been clearer.  They are not going to pay the incremental cost to increase speeds along the NEC or any other American corridor.</p> <p>The key point remains: the option solution for a U.S. problem is one that meets our needs. Not the needs of some other country.</p> <p>Although I don't remember the source of the information, I understand the average point to point speeds on the ICE have been reduced because of a significant increase in slow order track.  It seems that the Germans and Chinese are learning an important lesson.  High speeds require high inputs of energy, a cost, and cause a disproportionate amount of wear and tear on the infrastructure, which of course has to be repaired.  And repairing it costs money.</p>
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