# NBC's view of HSR



## battalion51 (Jan 31, 2010)

I just finished watching NBC Nightly News from last night, and there was a nice little segment on HSR. It was fairly general, but included some voices I think most of us are glad to hear including Joseph Boardman and Ross Capon. You can watch the video using this link.



> Obama sees rail project as job creator
> Jan. 30: The $8 billion plan to transform the nation's transportation grid may end up being the Obama administration's most visible job-creating legacy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.


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## acelafan (Jan 31, 2010)

battalion51 said:


> I just finished watching NBC Nightly News from last night, and there was a nice little segment on HSR. It was fairly general, but included some voices I think most of us are glad to hear including Joseph Boardman and Ross Capon. You can watch the video using this link.
> 
> 
> > Obama sees rail project as job creator
> > Jan. 30: The $8 billion plan to transform the nation's transportation grid may end up being the Obama administration's most visible job-creating legacy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.


I enjoyed watching that clip - nice quote by Boardman regarding the Baltimore tunnels (going back to the Civil War era). To think that tunnel opened in the late 1800s and the NEC is still dependent on it...wow.

Hopefully this infusion of rail money won't dry up after the current administration leaves...that always worries me.


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## leemell (Jan 31, 2010)

battalion51 said:


> I just finished watching NBC Nightly News from last night, and there was a nice little segment on HSR. It was fairly general, but included some voices I think most of us are glad to hear including Joseph Boardman and Ross Capon. You can watch the video using this link.
> 
> 
> > Obama sees rail project as job creator
> > Jan. 30: The $8 billion plan to transform the nation's transportation grid may end up being the Obama administration's most visible job-creating legacy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.


I don't know where the information for the graphic of the corridors came from, but I found it interesting that the California piece included the Desertxpress even though I've heard of no Federal funding for it.


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## battalion51 (Jan 31, 2010)

I think the graphic showed the corridors that have been identified for future funding, not necessarily the ones that received it in this round of funding.


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## Rail Freak (Jan 31, 2010)

battalion51 said:


> I just finished watching NBC Nightly News from last night, and there was a nice little segment on HSR. It was fairly general, but included some voices I think most of us are glad to hear including Joseph Boardman and Ross Capon. You can watch the video using this link.
> 
> 
> > Obama sees rail project as job creator
> > Jan. 30: The $8 billion plan to transform the nation's transportation grid may end up being the Obama administration's most visible job-creating legacy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.


Tunnels buildt just after the Civil War?????   

RF


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## alanh (Jan 31, 2010)

That's nuthin. The Carrollton Viaduct in Baltimore, still in use by CSX, was built in _1829_. The cornerstone was laid by (and bridge named after) Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.


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## saxman (Feb 2, 2010)

acelafan said:


> battalion51 said:
> 
> 
> > I just finished watching NBC Nightly News from last night, and there was a nice little segment on HSR. It was fairly general, but included some voices I think most of us are glad to hear including Joseph Boardman and Ross Capon. You can watch the video using this link.
> ...


That worries me too. But I think slowly guys of the 'other' side are realizing the need here. Hopefully in the next 3 years we can get a permanent funding mechanism for rail just as highways and aviation have enjoyed for years.


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## George Harris (Feb 2, 2010)

acelafan said:


> I enjoyed watching that clip - nice quote by Boardman regarding the Baltimore tunnels (going back to the Civil War era). To think that tunnel opened in the late 1800s and the NEC is still dependent on it...wow.


It always bugs me when people get all wound up in how old something is. *It does not matter how old it is.* What does matter is, in order of importance: The alignment, the clearances, the condition of the structure. The reason for this order of items:

If the alignment is such that high speed is impossible, the rest of the issues do not matter. It the past, there was a lot of alignment revision work, but under current financial conditions, environmental rules, and political realities, alignment is essentially forever.

If the train won't fit, the clearances can be increased, not cheaply, but not as costly as an alignment revision.

If you have alignment and clearances, then the concern is structural integrity, and for bridges adequate capacity. If the train does not fit, or if the load capacity is too low, the condition of the structure does not matter. Sturctural issues, such as conditions of the liner, water intrusion can be fixed, usually more cheaply than clearance increases. In fact, if clearances need to be increased, usually condition issues are solved as part of that process.

For specifics relating to Baltimore: No matter what they do to the tunnels, the alignment through the city as it is will always be slow. You are simply dressing up the pig. It is still a pig, no matter how much money you spend on making it look pretty. Waht is really needed to speed up things through Baltimore is a new straight alignment across the city, probably on the alignment of the Interstate highway through the city that did not happen. A four track tunnel comes to mind as a good thing.


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