Russia invests in high-speed rail before their World Cup

In advance of their hosting the 2018 World Cup, Russia has announced bold plans to update it's rail between key cities.  Said Putin,

“[The tournament] will be a powerful incentive for the development of high speed rail services in the European part of Russia.”

He's promised a line that would connect all of the country’s host cities – Moscow, Kazan, Samara, and Ulyanovsk – by 2018.

Glance at a globe and you'll realize that this is no small feat . . . Even the "Eupopean part" of Russia, like the US, is quite a bit bigger than our quaint European examples of successful high-speed rail.  So while we rely on California and Florida to push us into this century, we'll be eating Russia's dust along with China's dust and that of the majority of developed nations.   It's not like we didn't try!  BILLIONS of dollars for rail projects have been rejected or returned to the federal gov't this YEAR!  I'm lookin at you Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois . . . .

BMW introduces new greener rail cars . . . in Poland

Once again Europe gets there a decade or two ahead of the good 'ol USA.  While we're struggling to hold on to Obama's public transit works in several states (light rail plans dropping like flies, as Republicans scream and deny Fed monies) Poland is welcoming these beauties from BMW. 

"The handholds inside the car are lit from above and shaped like tree branches, which according to the designers are a symbol of the cars’ green ambitions. The carriage’s aluminum chassis has been designed to reduce weight and hence reduce the energy consumption. Moreover, the carriages, according to the designers, are 97.5 percent recyclable."

With spacious interiors, hidden mechanics, and wider doors these dreams of the future will be reality in Warsaw next year.  One more pic. . . .

Christie ate a whole tunnel (filled with 3 BILLION of "free Federal monie")

Notorious fatty and car LOVER, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has halted the largest American infrastructure project currently -- the ARC rail tunnel under the Hudson River -- based on his own numbers of possible cost overruns.  He plans to GIVE UP THREE BILLION DOLLARS from the Federal Gov't. earmarked for mass transit, and funnel the remaining NJ monies into roads and bridges.  All this to avoid raising NJ gas tax because HE promised no new taxes.  New Jersey has one of the lowest gas taxes in the nation.  The tunnels we are currently using are 100 years old, and at capacity.  As Andy said to his home state,

"Enjoy your cheap gas while your state crumbles away into obsolescence."

Thank you Andy, that's very direct.   I think that ignoring a 3 Billion dollar gift (NJ may have to pay back the money already sunk in . . . . the tunnel is already significantly under way) is an impeachable offense, but what do I know?  This guy is notoriously anti-public transit.  The project promised to grow the economy, shorten commutes, broaden the region, and cut emissions.  Thanks a lot knucklehead.  Here's the only way to get under the Hudson currently:

 

Self-Propelled -- Unauthorized trolleys on Manila's rail lines makes a living for some

Watch this short documentary on an amazing and somewhat terrifying business that has sprouted up in the Philippines to combat congestion on city streets: 

DOCUMENTARY HERE

As it turns out, this isn't an industry without precedent . . . handcars or pumpcars, or jiggers . . . or KALAMAZOOS, have existed as long as rails themselves, and one human carrying another may just be the second oldest profession.

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China plans high-speed rail to Europe. Really? I'm jealous.

They've already got the most advanced high-speed rail system in the world, and now the Chinese have announced plans to extend it to Europe.  This means a two-day trip from King's Cross to Beijing!!  Detractors say this is the modern Imperialist equivalent of the Via Publicae -- a move to cement China's supremacy across the continent -- but others doubt it will ever come to fruition . . . the perceived benefits beyond passenger service being somewhat limited for the cost.  The US, for all it's "security" spending abroad, could take a page from this strategy book and strengthen our domestic infrastructure in a similar way to vast benefit. FULL STORY from the Edmonton Journal.
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Great News for Moynihan Station! $83 Mil Secured!!

Finally a visible apology for the slaughter of the old Penn Station! Let's review. We toppled and shoved this into the Hudson:

and now . . . Road Rage with Andy Battaglia -- Episode 1 [ding]

From time to time I'll bring you a totally justified rant from the brilliant cramped mind of Andy Battaglia. Here we go!

"To Whom It May Concern: China is currently building 12 high-speed rail lines that will go upwards of 250 miles per hour across thousands of miles and will open by 2012 effectively making air-travel across short distances a thing of the past. In America we're building a two-mile long subway extension in New York that was first proposed in 1920 and will open in 2017 (maybe), and even that is only partly funded and could be halted (for the fourth time).
If you want crumbling highways and bridges packed with traffic and slow Amtrak trains that take two full days to get from New York to Florida, America is the country for you. For the love of all things, can we invest in rail infrastructure! And by invest, I don't mean talk about it for years and spend millions on "studies" only to delay actual construction for it to eventually be derailed by the automobile industry lobby. France, Germany and Sweden have managed to create the most comprehensive rail systems in the world, and I don't think our being a huge country is a good enough reason for us to not be investing in this stuff. We USED to have fancy things and amazing pieces of engineering and infrastructure in the early parts of the last century. Then we stopped investing and sold off thousands of miles of railroad rights-of-way so that "developers" could replace them with strip malls, and McMansion gated communities with no sidewalks and only cars to get to and from anywhere. Ohh and before that GM bought all of our clean electrified light rail and trolley lines across the country, decreased service to make them unattractive, and then ripped them up so they could be replaced with slow smog-producing GM-made buses. But I digress...Thanks. -Andy"

Thank YOU, Andy.

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