The California High-Speed Rail Authority has published an Operations and Peer Review document (ht Caltrain-HSR Compatibility blog). The document envisions operational procedures in the proposed CA High-Speed rail project. The “Peer Review” is truly depressing. The inescapable conclusion is that this is high-speed rail as envisioned by Amtrak foamers, ignorant of global industry best-practices. If [...]
Archive for November, 2010
CHSRA Featherbedding
Posted in transit, tagged CHSRA, high-speed rail, HSR on November 24, 2010 | 4 Comments »
China, US, and Europe
Posted in transit, tagged China, Europe, HSR on November 23, 2010 | 2 Comments »
The distance from Los Angeles to New York is 2800 miles — which makes high-speed rail impossible in the USA. At least, that is what Megan McArdle argues in the Atlantic: Yesterday, we rode the high speed rail from Hangzhou to Shanghai. It took 45 minutes to go about 110 miles, and the ride was [...]
Nimitz Freeway Pet Cemetery
Posted in automotive, tagged Fremont, I880 on November 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Did you know the Nimitz Freeway had a pet cemetery? Each day, tens of thousands of commuters drive right by it without even realizing it. Plonked underneath the new Mission Blvd interchange, it is just yards away from the zooming traffic. Situated on a spit of land between I880 and a nondescript Fremont office park, [...]
The Six Million Dollar Train
Posted in transit, tagged DMU, SMART on November 13, 2010 | 5 Comments »
SMART has received bids from DMU vendors. And as predicted, those bids are way above the market price for DMUs. So how has SMART staff reported this news to the Board? The price proposal from SCOA is very favorable to SMART, so much so that it became clear in the evaluation process that its acceptance [...]
More ‘Buy-America’ Insanity
Posted in transit, tagged Buy America, FTA, protectionism on November 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Page 18 of ‘SMART’ staff recommendation on DMU vehicle procurement gives further proof that the only US jobs preserved through Buy-America are those of idiot FTA bureaucrats: As part of the contract, two pilot cars will be built. These cars will be fully assembled and tested in Japan and, to meet Buy America requirements, will [...]
