# Honolulu Monorail



## GG-1 (Oct 15, 2005)

Aloha

Honolulu has raised it's Tax to pay for a transit system. Anyone know who is interested in building one in Honolulu?

Mahalo


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## sechs (Oct 16, 2005)

Perhaps folks that are tired of bus driver strikes?

Sure, train drivers still strike, but they're much easier to replace.


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## haolerider (Oct 26, 2005)

I think most of the interested builders are from Japan. I saw articles in the local papers about the Mayor visiting Japan to see several examples of commuter lines in operation......one of them on raised track, which was pointed out would somewhat blemish the landscape, but would at the same time give people a much better view of both mountains and ocean.


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## Conrail (Dec 3, 2005)

it is probaly for tourists mainly i think


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## GG-1 (Dec 3, 2005)

Conrail said:


> it is probaly for tourists mainly i think


Aloha

This Island needs it, and if it takes only 10 cars off the road durring rush hours, the tourist are welcome, Mahalo

Most of you know I am in theater. Two weeks ago I needed to be in the Convention Center at 7:00a.m. a distance of 1 mile, At 5:50a.m. it took 10 minutes, at 6:15 the drive time is 45 min.

Need I say more!


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## gswager (Dec 3, 2005)

Get a bike!


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## Conrail (Dec 3, 2005)

or a motor scooter


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## GG-1 (Dec 4, 2005)

gswager said:


> Get a bike!Posted on Sat, Dec 3, 2005, 06:57 PM or a motor scooter


ButI would rather ride a train


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## haolerider (Dec 8, 2005)

Plus - anyone who has tried to ride a bike or use a motot scooter in Honolulu would know that is not the safest way to move from one point to another.


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## Conrail (Dec 30, 2005)

What happened to my post :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: :blink:


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## Gandydancer (Mar 5, 2006)

I'm a new kid on the block. After a recent trip I thought a Light Rail line would be perfect. It would pull some of the traffic off of H1 and there is nothing better to promote the use of rail than crawling along in rush hour traffic and watching a train zip right on by. If anybody knows of any plans to for it to happen, I would love to help build it. As for now I'll keep working on Amtrak's NEC. Thanks, Mitch.


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## haolerider (Mar 7, 2006)

Take a look at the two local Honolulu papers, the Honolulu Star Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser and you can follow the progress of the transit rail proposals. With the present Mayor of the city pushing this concept and the extreme growth in what was formerly agricultural areas, the city needs rapid rail transit in a big way.


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## George Harris (Apr 14, 2006)

Honolulu has been talking various transit schemes for at least the past 25 years. The plans have included almost every possible method of moving people, raitional and irrational, except "beam me up, Scotty" I know they need it badly, and the demand is probably there for a fairly extensive light rail or completely grade separated "heavy rail" system, or both. One thing for sure they need to have something that runs off electricity.

Point 2: about 11 years age we were there and I asked about electric generation and was told that it was all from oil fired power plants. This has to be insanity! The Big Island is sitting on the most readily availble source of geothermal heat for power generation in the world. They should be able to generate all the electricity the whole state needs without having to burn anything ! !

George


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## gswager (Apr 14, 2006)

George Harris said:


> Point 2: about 11 years age we were there and I asked about electric generation and was told that it was all from oil fired power plants. This has to be insanity! The Big Island is sitting on the most readily availble source of geothermal heat for power generation in the world. They should be able to generate all the electricity the whole state needs without having to burn anything ! !


Greenland has geothermal power if I don't watch James Bond movie too much. Better ask Hawaii gov't about it!


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2006)

Back in the late 70s to 80, Honolulu nearly had a rail transit system with heavy federal funding that was pushed by then Mayor Frank Fasi. Unfortunatley he was defeated for one term in the 1980 election and Mayor Eileen Anderson killed it while she was in office. After losing the election she left Hawaii but left her legacy of grid lock. In the early 90s, Honolulu once again tried for a rail transit system and if missed passage by one vote in the city council. I lived in Honolulu for 17 years and the Island of Oahu could certainly use a transit system that was separate from the crowded highways. There will always be congested highways there, but at least people would have an alternative choice where there is none now. A rail transit system would be primaily for the local residents, but tourist would also benefit.


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## George Harris (Jun 7, 2006)

Whenever and whereever a rail transit system is proposed there are several individuals and organizations that come out of the woodwork to oppose them. They will write editorials, have speakers and "factual information" available to show that any rail transit of any kind any where is a waste of money. They can make the most warped of statistics look reasonable.

Many of these things have "motherhood and apple pie" type names to try to give you they have the best interest of the taxpayers and general public at heart, but a look behind the scenes is always interensting.

Chances are one or several of these various groups make their way to Hawaii and dear mayor Eileen Anderson heard their spiel. I am sure they have kept an eye on the situation ever since packed and ready to return whenever needed to stop these horrible rail builders.

One of these that has been around for quite a while is the Heartland Institute. At one time the major player oerated as the Wendell Coix Consultancy, or some such similar name. Heartland may jsut be the same outfit renamed. In February 2004 the New New Electric Railway Journal ran an article titled, "Who Funds Wendell Cox" After a brief time on their web site, the title for the article stayed in place, but when you clicked on it you got something else, which leads me to suspect that it may have been hacked. At any rate the article noted that



> Want to know who is funding Wendell Cox? Go to Yahoo, query “The Heartland Institute”, under Press Room, click on FAQ “What is the Heartland Institute”, click on “How is The Heartland Institute Funded?”, click on “Q. Who funds The Heartland Institute?” and the click on “accompanying list.” There you will find the attached pdf listing of recent donors. Amongst the names you will find those convicted in the NCL anti-trust case or their descendants.
> (Editor’s note: Wendell Cox receives funding from more than just the Heartland Institute. His Wendell Cox Consultancy has received funds from many highway, asphalt, concrete, automobile manufacturing and other “highway” interests. Cox is a “Senior Fellow” of the Heartland Institute and if you wish to schedule him to speak at one of your events, you contact him through that foundation. Interestingly, on the list you can access from the information above, a few names stand out: General Motors, BP Amoco Foundation, Inc., Exxon Mobile Foundation, among others.)


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## AlanB (Jun 7, 2006)

George Harris said:


> They can make the most warped of statistics look reasonable.


As my college statistics teacher told me years ago, statistics can be made to say and support whatever conclusion you want, if you just massage them hard enough and long enough.


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## GG-1 (Jun 7, 2006)

Aloha

wish i knew how to get yesturdays article ftom the advertiser here seeme the ??? has forgotten prior studdies.


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## haolerider (Jun 7, 2006)

go to this site:

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbc...s.dll/frontpage

and click on back issues for June 6th.


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## GG-1 (Jun 7, 2006)

Aloha and Mahalo for the link that haolerider provided. The on-line article is similar to the published article, missing the pictures and picture comments that shift somewhat the tone of the article.

20 years later and we still can't get it together.


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