White House Petition

[strangebrew]

I know it has been addressed by the administration, but I feel the ball has been dropped. So, I created a quick petition just to let the administration know some of us still think it is an important issue. I did not delv into detail regarding HSR, I would be content with upgrading and improving current trackage to enable more frequent and constant speed Amtrak service. 110-125 from my neck of the woods to Denver would be great, as it stands now it takes 6-7 hours just to get to grand junction. (I'm aware of the speed limitations in the mountains, but freight delays dont help at all.)

Anyhoo, dont get me started on whats wrong. I think we can all agree that there is a lot to fix, when it comes to passenger rail service in this country. If you are interested here is the link.

http://wh.gov/lFXcx

 

[oregon pioneer]

Signed, and one of my friends did, too.

I shared on facebook, and got several "likes," so I hope more will sign ("liking" without acting is pretty low, in my opinion!).

 

[strangebrew]

Thanks for the help, need a minimum of 150 to get it publicly viewable. I tweeted it to a few of the HSR orgs and got 2 retweets out of that. So, ill keep my fingers crossed, but wont hold my breath.

 

[Paulus]

These things are honestly pretty meaningless.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

It is basically meaningless. But don't tell the truth. Then they call you a killjoy.

 

[George Harris]

Setting speed limits of 110 mph, 125 mph, 90 mph, or even 79 mph are relatively meaningless if the curves keep the speeds to 60 mph or less, including plenty of 40 mph or thereabouts, and that is what you have going south out of Denver. Dig back to some 1950's era passenger timetables and look at the schedules. That is about as good as you can do without major alignment chages. Simple speed limit chages othewise will mean next to nothing.

 

[jis]

When ESPA was debating what to do about the Empire Corridor EIS, I suggested to them that they ought to decided what is an achievable end to end running time between Albany and Buffalo that is worth fighting for, and set that as the primary goal to push. Let the maximum speed needed be derived from that as a part of the whole package.

They may or may not have taken it to heart. But I noticed that they have consistently pushed for an alternative that gets the end to end times to a point which is consistent with average start to stop speed of around 60-65 mph. Personally I'd have preferred a little higher, but notwithstanding that, that is a more meaningful way of stating a goal than insisting on 5 miles of 125mph running in a 300 mile journey.

 

[neroden]

When ESPA was debating what to do about the Empire Corridor EIS, I suggested to them that they ought to decided what is an achievable end to end running time between Albany and Buffalo that is worth fighting for, and set that as the primary goal to push. Let the maximum speed needed be derived from that as a part of the whole package.

They may or may not have taken it to heart. But I noticed that they have consistently pushed for an alternative that gets the end to end times to a point which is consistent with average start to stop speed of around 60-65 mph. Personally I'd have preferred a little higher, but notwithstanding that, that is a more meaningful way of stating a goal than insisting on 5 miles of 125mph running in a 300 mile journey.

For what it's worth, the speed limits on the expressways in NYS max out at 65 mph, with 55 mph limits within city limits. So an *average* speed of 60-65 mph is very competitive with driving, and can probably beat driving unless the drivers are reckless lawbreakers. It makes for a very logical target speed.

If you're in Texas with 85 mph expressways you have to aim for a higher average speed.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

You have to judge speeds based upon the 50% actual average. That means that the needed speed at rush is less than other times. It also means that on many roads that required average is over the speed limit. For instance I read somewhere that the average speed on the NJ Turnpike's dual dual section outside of traffic is around 72 mph with the normal fast drivers doing around 80.

 

[neroden]

If the average speed on roads is routinely way over the speed limit, this shows that the cops should get to work and start improving public safety while making some money for their local municipalities.

It's still a selling point to say "go faster than you can go LEGALLY on the road".

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Thankfully speed patrol cops are more knowledgable and aware of how to provide safe highways than you are.

 

[Phil S]

If the average speed on roads is routinely way over the speed limit, this shows that the cops should get to work and start improving public safety while making some money for their local municipalities.

It's still a selling point to say "go faster than you can go LEGALLY on the road".

Actually going the speed limit in the left hand lane of the interstate is downright dangerous - a sure way to trigger road rage and accidents. As GML said, the cops and the DOTs are completely on-board that 10 over is perfectly safe and acceptable on almost all Interstate Hiways. The speed limits are set with exactly that in mind.

Back to rr's. Why are we talking about petitions to raise passenger train speeds when 1/2 the transcon routes (I.e., via EB and CZ) are now fully dysfunctional. It is no longer possible to travel across the continent by train w/o an overnight in Chicago. I mad a Sept. res to take the CS and CZ from OR to CHI to avoid the EB delays but now the CZ is also routinely missing the Cardinal connection. If there's no improvement this week I'm going to cancel and fly. It's just really sad that in the course of 3 years so much of Amtrak has fallen apart and no one seems to be trying to do anything about it. Please tell me I'm wrong?