22 thoughts on “High Speed Rail Meeting for ‘Greater’ Richmond”

1. A bit of a correction to your statement. The proposed SEHSR corridor that is the subject of these public hearings is planned to connect to Main Street Station. The most recent controversy regarding new rail service that will not serve Main Street Station is the new start up service to Norfolk which is definitely not a high speed service. That service is expected to being too soon to take advantage of upgraded track that the SEHSR program will improve between Petersburg and Richmond to serve Main Street Station.

2. Thanks for the clarification.

   So, we should eventually see high speed rail from Richmond to Petersburg. That seems like the easy part, not that I am compaining about any improvement in passenger rail.

   It sounds like new service to Norfolk will not be from MSS.

   Am I correct in thinking that there has not been a firm prognosis on high speed rail between D.C. and Richmond’s MSS?

   What can citizens do to pressure private rail companies to clean up the Acca train yard? If Acca is no longer a congestion point, then hopefully there will be less delays from MSS to DC.

3. Scott,
   Hopefully we’ll see high speed rail all the way from DC to Charlotte through MSS (of course that’s a relative term, 110 mph doesn’t even quality has HSR in most countries but it’s a lot better than what Amtrak does now), but that will require a lot of funding which is always the kicker. We can plan all we want, but until we get a dedicated funding source to construct these improvements, not much will happen.

   The Tier II DEIS for the Richmond to Raleigh Section projects about $2.1 billion in improvements for just that section. The Richmond to Washington section will require similarly significant investments to reach 110 mph, mostly to reduce track curvature. To get the funding that section will likely need a Tier II DEIS as well. As to Acca Yard, what we need is a serious funding source to install new bypass tracks. That will almost certainly require some federal funding, thus the need to complete a Tier II DEIS for the Richmond to Washington section. Or we could hope Senators Warner or Webb might be able to get a nice earmark for the project.

   The new service to Norfolk is a separate pilot project, similar to the recent new service from DC to Lynchburg via Charlottesville. This is DRPT tying to show latent demand for rail service. And the new Lynchburg service is proving it pretty well.

4. I still think environmentalists, rail enthusiasts, and citizens need to force the issue- what’s more important for this country, selling off (West) Virginian mountaintops to the likes of China via CSX and Norfolk Southern, or making passenger rail more available?

   http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703305004575504180006530598.html

   High-Speed Rail Stalls
   Freight Carriers Balk at Sharing Tracks With the Faster Passenger Service

5. Still think the environmental footprint of investing many billions in HSR is greater than making better use of existing infrastructure, i.e. the interstate highway system. Of course my pal Bill and you Scott would disagree.

6. I am not sure what you mean by environmental footprint, but rail is much, much, more efficient in terms of energy use for moving people and freight. In contrast, we can’t afford to expand or maintain the existing highway system. That’s pretty obvious. We need to change priorities and fix our rail system now because we are losing economic competitiveness to China and Europe, which have done great things with their rail systems.

   Btw, watch how the corporate mainstream press uses the timing of a woman’s execution to grab headlines over the billion dollar VDOT audit.

   I don’t know Bill. Are you referring to Governor McDonnell?

7. Bill Pantele, the one you mentioned in your post, the president of Virginians for High Speed Rail. I’ve never met the Governor.

   High Speed Rail is many years off and are subject to endless litigation, environmental impact studies and political chicanery. Highways are here now. High speed lanes could be reserved for an upgraded fuel efficient bus system and tolls could be added for single passenger cars. This could be done very quickly.

   BTW, The VDOT story was the lead story in today’s RTD, right above the execution story. Both were above the fold and deserved to be.

8. If you look at the website, the execution story is above the VDOT story.
   And what was the story in the national picture? I say, quite cynically, an execution story is never wasted.

   You did not address my point about rail being more energy efficient. Tolls, really? I stand by the long term vision.

9. That’s because the VDOT story was written in the afternoon yesterday, the execution story later in the evening. Check the paper. You can read the VDOT headline from across the street.

   You didn’t address my points about the billions needed, the endless litigation or the environmental impact of major construction in and between cities. Every dollar spent has a carbon footprint. Somebody had to earn it, the iron ore for the steel has to be mined and hauled to the mills where more energy is used. Costs are astronomical and there’s no evidence the public will use it or finance it.

   Reuse of existing infracture is just environmental common sense and we can start saving energy right now.

   Don’t get me wrong. I like trains, especially the slow ones. I want to enjoy the trip. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll take a plane.

10. Again, what was the headline that made it out to the national news? I was not the only one who noticed the timing of the execution and VDOT audit stories.

    The cost of NOT going to rail is more relatively inefficient travel by fossil fuel, more pollution, more traffic gridlock, and more reliance on foreign oil. I am all for using more buses, conservation, and short term progress (though I have not seen much dedication by the leadership of region, state, or nation), but the long term solution of rail must be considered.

    Why are we allowing other countries to move ahead of us with this short-sighted resistance to rail? Common sense, indeed!

    Richmond’s role as a metropolis was based on its rail- we could return to that quite easily. All we need to do is untangle the mess created by a ridiculous allegiance to consumer car culture and an extremely backward energy policy. The knot starts at Acca train yard. Get the commercial (coal) lines to undo the knot, lessen congestion, and get the passenger rail moving again! (I might add, I am stating this as a CSX shareholder.)

11. Read your WSJ link and enjoyed the part about trying to force train companies to use their rails for high-speed trains…maybe homeless can use your house while your at work?

12. Todd, first of all, I don’t buy your analogy of my humble home being the same as INTERnational rail corporations. I resent the implied threat.

    Secondly, if we are talking extremes, I am more likely to voluntarily allow homeless people to use my house and land (on my terms) than letting the government take MORE of the neighborhood for ‘freeway’ that I am still paying a toll to use for some reason. I have a bone to pick with Delegate Marsh on that score.

    After all, where do you think the refugees will go when D.C. or Norfolk experiences a terrorist nuclear attack in response to U.S. occupation of foreign lands (for cheap oil for U.S. cars)? At that point, all of our houses may come into question.

    You can Hugo Chavez me all you want, but make no mistake about it, at some point a decision needs to be made about what is more of a national priority- shipping more coal (West Virginia mountaintops) to China, or creating a more sustainable and mobile economy that can compete internationally.

13. Here is another extreme talking point/threat…buy a Nissan Leaf!!

14. Ha. Now you are really pulling my chain.

    As you know, while electric cars might offer some environmental advantages, their economic sustainability is questionable.

15. You’re a Smart Car owner right??

16. Well, let’s put it this way, my car could be Smarter:

    http://www.altenergystocks.com/archives/2010/09/elbc_2010_automakers_discuss_their_battery_requirements_for_stopstart_systems_2.html

17. I with you on the tolls…lots of pollution with cars waiting to go through!

    President Reagan made his famous speach when he said, “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall!”

    Maybe we can have Silver Persinger say, “Senator Marsh…tear down these tolls!!”

18. I would like that.

19. Don’t tear down those tolls. In fact, we should possibly raise the toll rates, at least during rush hour. And have tolls on 95, 64 and all the river bridges. It’s called congestion tolling and it works to reduce traffic congestion and encourage transit use. Unfortunately it will never happen due to the politics and optics.
    See http://www.ryanavent.com/blog/?p=2318
    and http://www.ryanavent.com/blog/?p=2319

20. http://www.cjwn.net/news/2010/10/04/eyes-on-richmond/

21. Fred, I think the 195 tolls cause more congestion than they reduce.
    In effect, they operate as just another “ghetto tax” for inner city dwellers.

    I’ll try to create a separate blog post for this toll issue in the future.

22. Dear supporters,

    Thank you!

    The Intercity Passenger Rail Operating & Capital Fund (IPROCF) has passed both house of the General Assembly and hopefully will be heading to the Governor’s desk shortly. This could not have been accomplished without your assistance encouraging our legislators to support the creation of the IPROCF. While the IPROCF doesn’t have a dedicated funding source, the creation of the fund is the first step towards sustaining and expanding Virginia’s intercity and high speed passenger rail trains.

    In other news:

    *Vice-President Biden announces the Obama Administration’s request for $53 billion for high speed rail over the next six years (http://www.facebook.com/l/1b6ccdVKLZBv44fzuJT94ZLxl2w;www.southeasthsr.org/node/35)

    *I had an editorial published in Monday’s Richmond Times Dispatch about the benefits of intercity and high speed passenger rail (http://www.facebook.com/l/1b6ccwKiocXKuVfdWtZc7va6CqA;www2.timesdispatch.com/news/oped/2011/feb/07/TDOPIN02-we-cant-pave-our-way-out-of-congestion-ar-824582/)

    Lastly, for those that live in the Richmond area, the Capital Region Collaborative –a group of government and business officials- has posted a quick survey about the region’s priorities including high speed rail. If you have a minute, I encourage you to fill it out (http://www.facebook.com/l/1b6ccTu0_FIqCLcda9r2J90PzCQ;www.surveymonkey.com/s/CRCstrawman)
    Sincerely,

    Danny Plaugher, Executive Director
    More information visit: http://www.facebook.com/l/1b6cc6f0hOs_PHJiOEyovttiK2A;www.vhsr.com or http://www.facebook.com/l/1b6cc7eVxU3WrrAOZT3PmTweTgg;www.southeasthsr.org

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