As I understand it, in China it costs in the neighborhood of the equivalent of $30,000 to license a car. In our state it costs $75.
China increasing investment in the China - Russia HSR
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/high-speed/china-and-russia-step-up-high-speed-rail-cooperation.html?channel=523
Seikan tunnel in Japan has first test train complete passage.
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/high-speed/single-view/view/first-shinkansen-train-through-the-seikan-tunnel.html
In China, thousands demonstrate in the streets and face SWAT teams and repression to demand an HSR link to their city while elsewhere people sign petitions to bring HSR to their cities. Here we discuss table linens in dining cars and order baggage cars.
http://www.ibtimes.com/china-protests-high-speed-rail-line-abandoned-city-triggers-violent-clashes-1926516
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
schlimm In China, thousands demonstrate in the streets and face SWAT teams and repression to demand an HSR link to their city while elsewhere people sign petitions to bring HSR to their cities. Here we discuss table linens in dining cars and order baggage cars. http://www.ibtimes.com/china-protests-high-speed-rail-line-abandoned-city-triggers-violent-clashes-1926516
No - in the US, in general, HSR is viewed as a pipe dream that no one would use even if it were built. (the 20/400 foresight of the masses)
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD schlimm In China, thousands demonstrate in the streets and face SWAT teams and repression to demand an HSR link to their city while elsewhere people sign petitions to bring HSR to their cities. Here we discuss table linens in dining cars and order baggage cars. http://www.ibtimes.com/china-protests-high-speed-rail-line-abandoned-city-triggers-violent-clashes-1926516 No - in the US, in general, HSR is viewed as a pipe dream that no one would use even if it were built. (the 20/400 foresight of the masses)
The interest may be greater than you would judge from these pages. Even in the Passenger Forum, "The place to discuss Amtrak, the future of passenger rail, and high-speed proposals," many threads wax nostalgic about the past and contributors are largely anti-HSR. I wonder if age has a bearing along with interests? For example, what is the median age of members? Even among younger members, their connection to passenger rail may be only as hobbyists or fans of the Golden Era.
What limited experience I had with high-speed rail in Europe indicated that food and beverage service, while very very expensive, was also very very good.
daveklepper What limited experience I had with high-speed rail in Europe indicated that food and beverage service, while very very expensive, was also very very good.
The price is hardly as you describe.
Part of current menu on Deutsche Bahn dining cars (Bord Restaurant) on ICE trains:
Sausages with potato salad (vinegar & oil) 7.80 EUR
Baked potato with sour cream and slices of smoked salmon 7.90 EUR
Penne with tomato sauce 7.90 EUR
Penne with ham and cream sauce 8.90 EUR
Chili con carne with Argentinian beef 8.20 EUR
Potato and leek stew with smoked sausage slices 9.90 EUR
Chicken fricassee with mushrooms and buttered rice 9.90 EUR
Meatballs in caper sauce with buttered rice 10.90 EUR
Beers (0.5L) 3.90-4.20 EUR
Wines (0.25 L) 6.50-8.50 EUR
The food is quite good and similar in price to a moderately priced restaurant
schlimm daveklepper What limited experience I had with high-speed rail in Europe indicated that food and beverage service, while very very expensive, was also very very good. The price is hardly as you describe. Part of current menu on Deutsche Bahn dining cars (Bord Restaurant) on ICE trains: Sausages with potato salad (vinegar & oil) 7.80 EUR Baked potato with sour cream and slices of smoked salmon 7.90 EUR Penne with tomato sauce 7.90 EUR Penne with ham and cream sauce 8.90 EUR Chili con carne with Argentinian beef 8.20 EUR Potato and leek stew with smoked sausage slices 9.90 EUR Chicken fricassee with mushrooms and buttered rice 9.90 EUR Meatballs in caper sauce with buttered rice 10.90 EUR Beers (0.5L) 3.90-4.20 EUR Wines (0.25 L) 6.50-8.50 EUR The food is quite good and similar in price to a moderately priced restaurant
Currently 1 Euro = $1.13 - in the recent past it has been $1.50 or so
BaltACD schlimm daveklepper What limited experience I had with high-speed rail in Europe indicated that food and beverage service, while very very expensive, was also very very good. The price is hardly as you describe. Part of current menu on Deutsche Bahn dining cars (Bord Restaurant) on ICE trains: Sausages with potato salad (vinegar & oil) 7.80 EUR Baked potato with sour cream and slices of smoked salmon 7.90 EUR Penne with tomato sauce 7.90 EUR Penne with ham and cream sauce 8.90 EUR Chili con carne with Argentinian beef 8.20 EUR Potato and leek stew with smoked sausage slices 9.90 EUR Chicken fricassee with mushrooms and buttered rice 9.90 EUR Meatballs in caper sauce with buttered rice 10.90 EUR Beers (0.5L) 3.90-4.20 EUR Wines (0.25 L) 6.50-8.50 EUR The food is quite good and similar in price to a moderately priced restaurant Currently 1 Euro = $1.13 - in the recent past it has been $1.50 or so
If you can get a very tasty meal and a beer for $16.00 (service charge and tax included), most people would not consider that "very very expensive."
If you go the lounge car (Bord Bistro) you can get some excellent bratwurst in curry sauce with bread and a beer for about $7.00. And your train is moving at a speed up to 170 mph.
Schlimm, I appreciate your comments on German dining cars. In reply, I was referring to my experience on truly high-speed trains, and I never had the opportunity to ride such a train in Germany. I did ride lots of regular intercity German trains and ate in dining cars and found the experience on par with the near-best on pre-Amtrak dining cars, not quite Super Chief or Panama Limited or, later, Rio Grande Zephyr, but comperable to a good car on the ACL or Seabord or on an MP Eagle or New Haven Yankee Clipper, or a PRR corridor train, all very good if not excellent excellent. All decently priced and very courteously served. My experience with very expensive but good meals was in another European country, and most travelers would know which one and agree. And that also was only on the high-speed trains. Regular trains had reasonable meals, not quite as good as German trains, but good enough, and reasonably priced. And diners of this country often worked through on trains across boarders into other countries.
uote user="daveklepper"]Schlimm, I appreciate your comments on German dining cars. In reply, I was referring to my experience on truly high-speed trains, and I never had the opportunity to ride such a train in Germany. [/quote]
ICE trains on DB in Germany are their version of HSR (high-speed, French TGV). I assume your experience was on the French?
Shhhh...... I am told by my rabbi-teachers never to speak ill of anyone unless it is to avert further harm. Could matters have been improved in the 19 years since I last rode one?
A series of articles on HSR from Fortune.
http://fortune.com/2015/06/04/americas-bet-on-bullet-trains/
Not exactly but India has converted a major line from 1.5 Kv DC to 25 Kv AC. Will allow HSR trains to continue with no change of trains. One reason given was the necessity to build more DC substations that did not have real estate. Another reason much more energy efficient.,
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/passenger/single-view/view/mumbai-network-switches-from-dc-to-ac.html
CNSFForgive me, but why were we talking about highways in China a few posts back? Did I miss the part about the US interstate highway system covering its costs through user-fee revenue, or China's air being so clean that they could have the same per capita use of autos as the US with no repercussions?
I think highways/Interstates were mentioned by bluestreak and also sam1 (who seems to have departed the forum) for reasons unspecified. For a forum that is dedicated to "the future of passenger rail, and high speed proposals" there are surprisingly few folks on here who have ever ridden HSR trains (abroad, since there really aren't any in the US) as well as few who support HSR in the US.
My next European trip is next June. Mostly free with my frequent traveler points Will be riding the TGV, Thalys, ICE and potentially the Eurostar. Can't wait.
CMStPnP My next European trip is next June. Mostly free with my frequent traveler points Will be riding the TGV, Thalys, ICE and potentially the Eurostar. Can't wait.
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