No argument from me here -- it says exactly what you think.

When I've been to SFO, I've taken BART from the International terminal all the way to Market Street and over to downtown Oakland. Why would you need to go to San Bruno or Milbrae via a tram?

Another problem is that people who are capable will probably not want to job. Bill Gates, for example, is pretty content where he is. He can make a decision stick if he so chooses. Why would he want to mess with back door shady deals when he can just issue a memo and get it done?

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

The train runs from Sanford FL to Lorton VA.

I brought my 124 coupe home from Tampa that way 10 years ago.
We left Sanford on time, around 4-4:30 pm iirc. I slept in a seat. The N'bound train had few passengers in Dec. Off the train on time by 9 or 10am iirc. The VA station is closeby I-95. Home in NJ by 2 or 3 pm.

I don't remember exactly how much it cost. A few hundred dollars I guess. I probably have the paperwork at home. I'll look it up, but... today the price is about 300.00 for a standard size car and depending on what overnight accomodations you want.
Amtrak

A lot of snowbirds (as we call them) use it to get their cars to FL for the winter. (the ones who can't afford to keep one there all year round)

My experience was positive. Based on that, I'd do it again if the need or desire arose.

I would love to ride this.

French set new rail speed record;TGV 574 KM/H April 3rd 2007 - YouTube

The US, in particular the westen US is and ideal platform for Maglev. This would be an ideal program for taking US transportation to the next level. No need to mess around with HSR when it's successor is already here. This is a time when inspired leadership is required from Washington, oh wait...

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

That's a variant of HSR in my book. But has there ever been a working/efficient/fast Maglev line built in the world? AFAIK, most if not all of the working lines are short-distance monorail type applications.

Yes, except that traditional rail wether high speed or not requires steel wheels on steel tracks which is old fashioned technology in comparison to MagLev. There is a functioning maglev line in Shanghai but Shanghai is just a small area. MagLev is by its very nature a compettitor to air-travel and provides a paradigm shift in intercity travel over large distances. Let us assume a trip between Phoenix and LA for example. By car, 5,5 hours depending on traffic. By air, 45 minutes (in the air) But you then have to deal with getting to the airport in time for the security farce etc, and likewise getting out of the airport the other end. Total trip time takes far more than 45 minutes. More like two hours or so. A maglev travelling at 350mph will cover the distance in an hour. Not to mention you can move around in a train, unlike a plane and should be able to work or what have you depending on the ameneties which are limited pretty much only to the engineering capabilities.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Nope, but there are plenty of words to get your point across without resorting to "retard" (which, for some reason, is the last of the socially "acceptable" slurs). I know you're smart enough to come up with them.

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Something like the HGV will never take off until we find a source of alternative energy, like France has *coughNUCLEARcough*, burning coal to produce that much electricity would be kind of pointless.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I used to live in Ogden, UT and worked about 8 miles south of SLC, UT. I had one car, a beater, parked in SLC at the depot and rented a spot monthly. My wife would drop me off at the depot in Ogden where I would board the train to SLC. I'd arrive and drive the beater into work.

It was cheaper for me this way, and if I worked late, I would just drive the beater home since the rails stopped running at a certain time.

I liked having a vehicle or a way home at each depot, so I wouldn't feel constrained by the trains schedule. I wish I could do the same here in western PA. It was much cheaper than paying for gas both ways.

I've just accepted a local position that will have me driving 80 miles a day, round trip. At least the compensation is good...

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles

How will they keep the system running if there's a failure? Commercial aviation is well established so the system functions around and quickly makes up for a failure, even a catastrophic failure. I guess rail can have two tracks and frequent crossover points so they can shunt around failures. Locally, Caltrain has two tracks from San Jose to San Francisco. The system shuts down for half a day when someone ends it all by stepping in front of a train, which happens a handful of times a year.

Sixto
87 300D

Several tracks, and (eventually) a real network so there's more than one way of connecting two points on the system. Not all of the lines involved have to be "high speed" lines either.

Elevated Maglev lines remove most of these issues before they start.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S