Mark sent in this link to one of the most sensible op ed pieces I have read on converting from cars to mass transit (in this case long distance trains.) It compares the train systems in Europe and Japan to our interstate highway system and the Japanese and French come up wanting.
His basic thesis is that actually very few people use the long haul high speed train systems (less than a tenth percentage wise compared to those that use the interstate system here in the US). He also notes that the LTV and Bullet trains have never paid for themselves and are supported by the government to be used by a few. The Interstate highway system, using the most egalitarian form of travel ever invented (automobiles) pays for itself through gas and use taxes.
The author adds that with airplanes and cars becoming more and more "green friendly" diesel and electric powered trains would add much "greenhouse" gas to the environment…certainly more per passenger mile than a modern automobile.
The article is rather short, easy to read, and makes a lot of sense. For those of us whose livelihood depends on the automobile, and places to park it, it's another arrow in our quiver when big government starts talking about high speed rail, trillions of investment, and little to show for it.
JVH
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