schlimm dakotafred There's not the money to pay for them. Every one is a struggle. One more example, if it were needed, of how infrastructure in this country is starved in favor of spending for other priorities. Ending money-hole, pointless 'adventures' such as Iraq might be a start, as its total costs may reach $4-5 trillion. A fraction of that spent on infrastructure here could do far more for our security than foreign ops.
dakotafred There's not the money to pay for them. Every one is a struggle. One more example, if it were needed, of how infrastructure in this country is starved in favor of spending for other priorities.
Ending money-hole, pointless 'adventures' such as Iraq might be a start, as its total costs may reach $4-5 trillion. A fraction of that spent on infrastructure here could do far more for our security than foreign ops.
It wouldn't do a thing for your security, or mine. We (and, I presume, the other posters here) are smart enough to stay out of the way of moving trains.
Even a railroad built with total grade separation can't keep rubber-wheelers off the tracks. Original Shinkansen route, down in a cut, had a pickup drop in when the driver tried to find a fourth route at a T intersection. Fortunately it wasn't hit (the detectors worked) and was winched up and back on the road in rapid order.
As for not financing conflict 'over there,' I prefer that to financing it over here. Or do you really want to learn Arabic?
Chuck [MSgt(ret)]
FYI: Grade crossing accidents pose a danger to operating employees, passengers, freight and the general public, far beyond the victims at crossings.
Unprovoked invasions of other nations to remove legitimate, recognized governments using false justifications tends to provoke reprisals and has created the mess we see in the ME today. Neither party here has been correct in their analysis. We have bipartisan SNAFUs.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
schlimm FYI: Grade crossing accidents pose a danger to operating employees, passengers, freight and the general public, far beyond the victims at crossings. Unprovoked invasions of other nations to remove legitimate, recognized governments using false justifications tends to provoke reprisals and has created the mess we see in the ME today. Neither party here has been correct in their analysis. We have bipartisan SNAFUs.
ME has been in flames since Biblical times and before; unabated to the present - with and without the help of Western 'powers'.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDME has been in flames since Biblical times and before; unabated to the present - with and without the help of Western 'powers'.
This is true but I have to say they have one hell of a railroad program on the shelf once they achieve peace. If you look at each independent country over there they have plans to all interconnect by rail and then connect to China via Pakistan and India. Afghanistan has probably the most ambtious rail construction plan, going from zero miles to close to 7-12,000. Thats pretty kick *** if you ask me.
BaltACD schlimm FYI: Grade crossing accidents pose a danger to operating employees, passengers, freight and the general public, far beyond the victims at crossings. Unprovoked invasions of other nations to remove legitimate, recognized governments using false justifications tends to provoke reprisals and has created the mess we see in the ME today. Neither party here has been correct in their analysis. We have bipartisan SNAFUs. ME has been in flames since Biblical times and before; unabated to the present - with and without the help of Western 'powers'.
The ME was far more stable than Europe for many centuries. Study some history if you disagree.
We're getting a bit off topic here. Europe wasn't always such an idyllic place either, for that matter.
I think it was Mark Twain who said humans are the only animals who blush --- or who need to.
Shameful behavior isn't geographically limited.
Tom
North America had a fair share of wars, particularly in the 19th C. Latin America has been chronically unstable. The ME was actually pretty stable as part of the Ottoman Empire. So the best policy for the US is to mind our own affairs at home. Rebuilding our infrastructure is something both parties generally agree on, but they will not cooperate to get it done.
"So the best policy for the US is to mind our own affairs at home. Rebuilding our infrastructure is something both parties generally agree on, but they will not cooperate to get it done."
And when we are done hiding in our collective closets, we can put up big neon sign on the mexican border "Terrorist Enter Here - No checks - No charge - be sure to file for free healthcare - Have a nice day".
[quote user="BOB WITHORN
[/quote]
It must be very stressful to live in constant fear. You stand a greater chance of being struck by lightning than being killed by a terrorist.
Do you remember 9/12/2001, when us military recruiters were overwhelmed by young men who wanted to join and go after the guys who did it? That is what happens in the Middle East every time a US made missle or bomb goes off.
That said, our economy is tightly intertwined with our military budget. If you suddenly reduced the military spend to the level where it should be, you would put thousands of people out of their high paying jobs and our economy would probably collapse.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Phoebe VetThat is what happens in the Middle East every time a US made missle or bomb goes off.
Thats what the extremists want us to think what happens but increasingly not so much. Even among a religious zealots, humans cannot be fooled long term about the impact of war. If it were otherwise the Ayotollah never would have made peace with Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war. He knew though that after so many years, his population could not take the body count or deprivations of war much longer without a revolt which would threaten his survival.
You are trying to equate a loosely organized band of primitive zealots with an organized government.
BOB WITHORN "So the best policy for the US is to mind our own affairs at home. Rebuilding our infrastructure is something both parties generally agree on, but they will not cooperate to get it done." And when we are done hiding in our collective closets, we can put up big neon sign on the mexican border "Terrorist Enter Here - No checks - No charge - be sure to file for free healthcare - Have a nice day".
You may have reason to be hiding in your closet, but most folks go on about their daily lives rejecting paranoid propaganda about terrorists.
Call me when somebody mentions trains again.
How do you figure I'm living in fear? My comment was in response to the US getting out of everywhere else and spending the money here.
I do not live in fear of much of anything. I'm far from any place anyone would ever bother with. I am very much a supporter of our military. My father was in b24's in the S Pacific in ww2 and a god son is an A10 pilot, currently over there. Fear, no. concern, yes. Much prefer to fight them there then here.
Ending foreign involvment won't do much to improve grade crossing safety. The money will get spent on more entitlements for those that do not deserve them. Spending for infrastructure won't include much for rail projects, it won't get them enough votes at election time.
And yes I do ramble on at times
ACY Call me when somebody mentions trains again. Tom
Well we went over the grade crossing improvement programs that still have money in them year after year and we still have several posters stuck on the guns vs butter argument when it has already been pointed out this is really a guns with butter issue. We have the funds each year and the funds are rarely exhausted on a year to year basis..........which means not a whole lot of RR crossing improvement projects are being applied for against the existing funds.
That is the crux of this specific issue.
Grade separation, like everything else, requires a cost-benefit analysis.
There is one stretch of lightly-used rail which crosses a number of public streets, the entrances to a large gas station/travel center and umpteen street-to-carport driveways. It sees three trains on a busy day, mostly in the 0-dark-00s I doubt that that branch generates enough gross revenue in a century to pay for the cost of total grade separation for those several small-town urban blocks. The town and county aren't concerned. Neither are the homeowners.
Granted that we started out discussing Amtrak. An Amtrak vs. rubberwheeler will generate statewide coverage. Amtrak with fatalities, NBC and ABC are all over it. Freight vs. vehicle won't even make the local news unless there are fatalities or major damage to anything beside the vehicle. (We had one here a couple of days ago. 30 seconds on the local news, because the driver met St. Peter ahead of schedule.)
Chuck (lives where Amtrak doesn't run)
Obviously we do not have, and never will have, enough money to suddenly reconstruct every crossing. I suggest two things. First, STOP CREATING NEW GRADE LEVEL CROSSINGS. Second, each year, close or reconstruct those crossings that have had the highest number of collisions during the previous ten years. Eventually, the number of collisions will be reduced.
Phoebe Vet Obviously we do not have, and never will have, enough money to suddenly reconstruct every crossing. I suggest two things. First, STOP CREATING NEW GRADE LEVEL CROSSINGS. Second, each year, close or reconstruct those crossings that have had the highest number of collisions during the previous ten years. Eventually, the number of collisions will be reduced.
For the past decade or more, my carrier has been active in persuing the clossing of road crossings. Last report that I had heard stated that more than a thousand had been closed, of course there are more than 28,000 that are still open.
People never want crossings closed, even when realistic alternate routes have grade separation and the overall distance between their origins and destinations via either route is negligible.
tomikawaTTGrade separation, like everything else, requires a cost-benefit analysis.
OTOH You Can't Fix Stupid (thank you, Ron White). This clueless SUV driver plowed into the back of a haz-mat tanker truck stopped at a four lane road crossing (used by the Coast Starlight), fortunately no ensuing fireball. Guess she skipped lane changing class in driver ed.
Links to my Google Maps ---> Sunset Route overview, SoCal metro, Yuma sub, Gila sub, SR east of Tucson, BNSF Northern Transcon and Southern Transcon *** Why you should support Ukraine! ***
MikeF90 OTOH You Can't Fix Stupid (thank you, Ron White). This clueless SUV driver plowed into the back of a haz-mat tanker truck stopped at a four lane road crossing (used by the Coast Starlight), fortunately no ensuing fireball. Guess she skipped lane changing class in driver ed.
Approaching a place where you will probably have to stop or maneuver is NOT where you should diddle with temperature controls on an unfamiliar vehicle! I wonder how much damage was done to the propane hauler.
Notice that the ODOT considers one or fewer crunched cars per year to be an acceptable risk - no additional action needed. (Except for a brain enhancement for Madame Clueless...)
Chuck
Sun Rail hit auto running around gate near Sanford. Not hurt but ticketed.
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/sunrail-train-crashes-into-car-in-sanford/33829168
MARC trrain hits MARC hi-rail. From the following news item the HI-rail might have been getting on track before time allowed ? Balt ?
http://wtop.com/sprawl-crawl/2015/07/marcs-brunswick-line-suspended/slide/1/
blue streak 1 MARC trrain hits MARC hi-rail. From the following news item the HI-rail might have been getting on track before time allowed ? Balt ? http://wtop.com/sprawl-crawl/2015/07/marcs-brunswick-line-suspended/slide/1/
The hi-rail was operating within a MofW defined work zone (707 in CSX terminology) and was in the process of getting off the track - Blocking had been provided for the track the hi-rail was operating on, with the understanding that the other track was 'hot'. What the operator of the hi-rail was thinking?????
One that did not happen but you cannot make these things up. A runaway car ( unmaned ) goes down embankment and fouls Keystone line. CAT has to be shut off so tow truc can extricate car.
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/update-amtrak-trains-still-being-held-up-after-runaway-car/article_fae49268-394b-11e5-a2f6-5be55e5785bd.html
blue streak 1 One that did not happen but you cannot make these things up. A runaway car ( unmaned ) goes down embankment and fouls Keystone line. CAT has to be shut off so tow truc can extricate car. http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/update-amtrak-trains-still-being-held-up-after-runaway-car/article_fae49268-394b-11e5-a2f6-5be55e5785bd.html
Around Lancaster, it could have been a Amish horse and buggy!
Caltrain got vehicle but the sheriff pulled driver out of car at last moment. Note: Caltrain fatalitys up to 16 this year. ( auto and tresspassers )
http://www.ktvu.com/story/29701263/deputy-pulls-driver-to-safety-moments-before-caltrain-crash
This is almost an incredible happening. Even writers would have a hard time making this up. . How does an Amtrak train hit a truck pulling a watercraft and the truck hits a raft in the water that a woman is riding on ? ( sunbathing ? ). By the way driver and woman in critical condition.
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28675798/brentwood-2-severely-injured-after-train-collides-truck
Another Amtrak collision with oversized load. This one was an extra heavy TT but just clipped end of trailer. Could have been much worse. Are the oversize / overweight loads have a bulls eye on Amtrak locos ?
http://patch.com/illinois/lakeview/1-injured-when-amtrak-train-strikes-semi-somonauk-reports
One recent collision has been overlooked. This information comes from conventional news sources, plus a conversation with a passenger on the train. On October 8, the northbound Amtrak Crescent Limited struck a Ford F-150, killing the woman who was driving the truck, in the vicinity of Leeds and Moody, Alabama. The passenger told me a school bus was evidently stopped for the passage of a freight train. When the last car of the freight train passed, the woman drove around the bus and around the gates, only to be struck by the passenger train. News reports indicate the gates and flashers were operating properly. I understand the school bus had no children aboard to see this.
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