(Source: Fastlane – Sec. Ray LaHood’s Blog)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $2 billion in high-speed rail awards providing an unprecedented investment to speed up trains in the Northeast Corridor, expand service in the Midwest and provide new, state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars as part of the Administration’s plan to transform travel in America. Shortly after making this announcement, he spoke to the financial media house, CNBC, about how these investments in high-speed rail investments are distributed and how they will benefits the various states that received this huge bonanza.

Twenty-four states, the District of Columbia and Amtrak submitted nearly 100 applications, competing to be part of an historic investment that will create tens of thousands of jobs, improve mobility and stimulate American manufacturing.  Here is an excerpt from the USDOT presser outlining the details of this disbursement:

The Department’s Federal Railroad Administration selected 15 states and Amtrak to receive $2.02 billion for 22 high-speed intercity passenger rail projects as part of a nationwide network that will connect 80 percent of Americans to high-speed rail in 25 years. The dedicated rail dollars will:

• Make an unprecedented investment in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), with $795 million to upgrade some of the most heavily-used sections of the corridor. The investments will increase speeds from 135 to 160 miles per hour on critical segments, improve on-time performance and add more seats for passengers.
• Provide $404.1 million to expand high-speed rail service in the Midwest. Newly constructed segments of 110-mph track between Detroit and Chicago will save passengers 30 minutes in travel time and create nearly 1,000 new jobs in the construction phase. Upgrades to the Chicago to St. Louis corridor will shave time off the trip, enhance safety and improve ridership.
• Boost U.S. manufacturing through a $336.2 million investment in state-of-the-art locomotives and rail cars for California and the Midwest. “Next Generation” rail equipment will deliver safe, reliable and high-tech American-built vehicles for passenger travel.
• Continue laying the groundwork for the nation’s first 220-mph high-speed rail system in California through a $300 million investment, extending the current 110 mile segment an additional 20 miles to advance completion of the Central Valley project, the backbone of the Los Angeles to San Francisco corridor.

Nearly 100 percent of the $2.02 billion announced today will go directly to construction of rail projects, bringing expanded and improved high-speed intercity passenger rail service to cities in all parts of the country. Thirty-two states across the U.S. and the District of Columbia are currently laying the foundation for high-speed rail corridors to link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options.

Click here to read more.

(Source:  Telegraph, UK)

Officers are under investigation after amateur video recorded a sniffer dog being forced to run alongside (for 2 Kilometers!!!Yes, you heard it right) a police van in Poland. Footage of the act, filmed by a trailing motorist, has caused outrage in Plock, Poland, where the police officers are based.

(Source: Houston.culturemap.com)

Anti-big brother Houstonians rejoiced when a referendum passed last November to take down the city’s network of red light cameras. Nearly six months later, data collected by the camera service provider, Phoenix-based ATS, suggests that citizens’ temporarily cautious attitude towards red lights has already reversed.

ATS analyzed 10 high-traffic intersections in different parts of the city that had seen noticeably decreases in violations when the cameras were installed, but have now suffered unprecedented increases. For example, the westbound intersection of Richmond Avenue and Hillcroft Avenue dipped from 5,628 violations in 2009 to 2,532 in 2010 — only to rocket back up to 3,799 in the first few months of 2011.

Editors Note:  This is yet another study that bolsters the need for installing the enforcement devices at intersections.   Oh well, there is always a counter to this and wait till someone surfaces with a new study showing how the removal of these devices has made life a lot better for poor Houstonians.

(Source: MSNBC)

Image Courtesy: bored383.com via Google Images

An air traffic controller was suspended Wednesday after being asleep while a medical flight was landing in Nevada, marking the fifth lapse so far this year among controllers at the nation’s airports. Four involved sleeping controllers.

In response to the lapses, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it was immediately putting a second controller on the midnight shift at 26 airports and a radar facility around the country that currently have only one overnight person.

(Source: You Tube via reddit)

Our President tries his best to assure the nation that the future for our children is bright.. But if you ask anyone who looks at this video(s) above, the would disagree with the president;  they would even go to the extent of saying such a future for our children is more steeped in a culture of fear and suspicion.. The six year old seen in this video would grow up to ask why did I endure this shameful treatment.  Where was the application of common sense n all this?

As much as I pity the TSA workers, at some point in time the protocols they follow, such as these are only going to make them look more and more idiotic.. If you ask, they would tell you that they’d rather not do these checks but are required to carry out what is prescribed in their manuals.  It is always this one size fits all treatment meted out to everyone that makes TSA more like a “machine” rather than an agency that cares for the safety of human.  Someone please tell Sec. Janet Napalitano that her agency needs an image makeover and it is needed NOW!

(Source: The City Fix Blog)

What a creative way to encourage riding public transportation! The two videos below created by De Lijn, the company that runs Belgium’s public transport system, are part of the “Penguins and Fireflies” commercial campaign and won the 4th Annual UITP International Marketing Awards in 2009.

The International Association of Public Transport (UITP), a global advocate in promoting public transportation, is accepting entries for its 5th Annual UITP International Marketing Awards until April 15. It is the only international competition that rewards commercial and printed campaigns from the public transport sector.

The Marketing Awards are a part of UITP’s International Marketing Conference that will be held in Venice, Italy in November 2011. The conference is a time to provide organizations with marketing strategies to help them successfully compete against car culture, increase profits and boost ridership.

Click here to read more.

(Source: Fast Company)

A new report from the American Public Transportation Association counters the GOP strategy on high-speed rail and turns the anti-HSR rhetoric argument on its head by saying it is in fact good for the economy.   This report focuses on key issues critical to private investors as they consider investments or future expansion into businesses serving the growing passenger rail markets.

Here is  the crux of the report as explained by the Fast Company: High-speed rail can be a huge driver of jobs and economic growth, and the government has already committed to at least $10 billion worth of spending, with plans for tens of billions more in the coming years.

The report, “The Case for Business Investment in High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail” (PDF) by the American Public Transportation Association finds that in addition to the obvious, but temporary, construction jobs, the benefits ripple out throughout an economy. Most importantly, for each $1 billion spent on train construction, 24,000 permanent jobs are created. That’s a mere $41,667 per job, which looks downright cheap when you’re staring down 9% unemployment.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority estimates that building a high-speed rail link between L.A. and San Francisco would result in 600,000 construction jobs and 450,000 permanent new jobs. There are currently 2.2 million unemployed people in the state; high-speed rail would halve its unemployment rate.

Click here to read the Fast Co. analysis.

Shown below is the APTA presser accompanying this report.

New report shows tangible economic benefits of investments in building a 21st century rail system

Washington, DC – April 6, 2011 –The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a report detailing the enormous impact high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects will have in driving  job development,  while also rebuilding America’s manufacturing sector and generating billions of dollars in business sales.  This report focuses on key issues critical to private investors as they consider investments or future expansion into businesses serving the growing passenger rail markets.

The report, “The Case for Business Investment in High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail” reinforces the point that investments in high-speed and intercity rail will have many direct and indirect benefits.  Nationally, due to proposed federal investment of high-speed rail over a six-year period, investment can result in supporting and creating more than 1.3 million jobs.  This federal investment will be the catalyst for attracting state, local and private capital which will result in the support and creation of even more jobs.

According to this new report, investments in building a 21st century rail system will not only lead to a large increase in construction jobs, but to the sustainable, long-term growth of new manufacturing and service jobs across the country.

“It is evident that investing in high-speed and intercity rail projects presents one of the clearest and fastest ways to create green, American jobs and spur long-term economic growth,” said APTA President William Millar. “Investing in high-speed rail is essential for America as we work to build a sustainable, modern transportation system that meets the environmental and energy challenges of the future.”

APTA noted for each $1 billion invested in high-speed rail projects, the analysis predicts the support and creation of 24,000 jobs.

In addition to the thousands of new construction jobs, investments in high-speed rail will jumpstart the U.S. economy. The Economic Development Research Group for the U.S. Conference of Mayors studied the business impact of high-speed rail investment in different urban regions.  For example, in Los Angeles, CA, high-speed rail investment generates $7.6 billion in business sales and $6.1 billion in Chicago, IL.

“Federal high-speed rail investment is a strong driver in getting private companies to invest,” said Kevin McFall, Senior Vice President at Stacy and Witbeck Inc., a leading public transit construction firm. “This program can be a shot in the arm for the manufacturing industry.  These high-speed rail projects will give us the opportunity to put people to work building the rail infrastructure this country desperately needs.”

“U.S. businesses have been known for their cutting edge technologies and innovations, said Jeffrey Wharton, President of IMPulse NC. “We need to put this expertise to work, providing business and employment opportunities while catching up with the rest of the world in high-speed rail and its associated benefits.”

“We are excited about the prospect of putting Americans to work building the rail tracks and equipment that will keep America’s economic recovery moving forward,” said Charles Wochele, Vice President for Industry and Government Relations at Alstom Transport. “We look forward to partnering with the federal and state governments to ensure these projects get off the ground.”

Here is a related article (and some interesting comments to go with it) I posted a couple of days ago.

(Source: Jalopnik)

Too bad the cops just left before the fury from hell was unleashed on that poor Cadillac Deville.. There is no stopping this one mad woman who is hell bent on taking it all out.. I’m assuming the man identified as the “bitch ass punk” seen lurking in the background is the party responsible for this outburst.. He did the best thing anyone could have asked for in such a domestic situation without getting hurt.. He stayed the hell away from her and did not take a chance of stopping her from doing what she needed to cool herself.. Damn!

Thank you, Jalopnik for delivering such gems! And as sadistic as this sounds, I liked the music in the background, which Jalopnik identified as the jilted woman vandal anthem sung by Jazmine Sullivan

(Source:  Raman’s Strategic Analysis & Wikipedia)

On April 11,2011, the Government-controlled Xinhua news agency of China has disseminated from Lhasa a report on the construction of a fast rail line to connect Lanzhou, the capital of the Gansu province, with Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang province. The construction of this line, capable of carrying trains moving at 300 KMs an hour, was started in 2009 and is due to be completed in 2015. The Xinhua despatch has quoted some Chinese analysts as viewing the line as significant more from the national security and political angle than from the economic perspective.Though the Xinhua has not spelt it out in such terms, it should be apparent that the railway line will help strengthen Beijing’s control over the Tibetan and Uighur-inhabited areas of the country (11-4-11).

Some of the key highlights of this rail line as reported in the Xinhua report:

• This rail line will connect Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province, with Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
• China Railway 20th Group Co., Ltd., is in charge of the construction, which began in 2009.
• Wages for construction workers is also double compared to the construction in the flatlands (due to tough  working conditions in high-altitudes)
• According to Wikipedia, the rail tracks in the section near Qilianshan Tunnel will be at 3,858 meters above sea level^[3], making it the highest high-speed rail track in the world.
• Trains will run at 350 kilometres per hour on the line.^[4][5]

Click here to read the full text of the Xinhua dispatch.

Editor’s note:  Though the pursuit of China’s high-speed in this northwestern region is discussed from the militaristic and national security-oriented perspective, it offers a glimpse of the national leadership’s desire to connect the vast outlying remote areas of rural China.  This offers an swift and safe access route for people and goods to flow between these regions and the big centers of trade/commerce and manufacturing situated along the coast line in the Eastern part of the country.  It is amazing to see how steadfast is the Communist leadership in its commitment to build this national strategic infrastructure asset.

(Source: Tree Hugger)

I saw this article below on Tree Hugger and felt compelled to share with you all.  See my commentary in the Editor’s Notes section below.

Growing Amtrak Ridership On A Collision Course With Political Surrealism

The Hill reports that “Amtrak had more riders in March than it has had in any March in its 40 years of existence, the company said Thursday. There were 137,000 more Amtrak riders this past month, the company said, which was the 17th straight month of increased ridership. That puts the company on track to break its annual ridership record, which was 28.7 million last year, Amtrak said.”

Note: By the term “political surrealism” I mean that the railroads which once united America are being used as a “wedge issue” to divide the US politically. Don’t tell me ideological opposition to Amtrak and high speed trains is justified because ‘we’re broke’ and passenger rail should be privately owned, exclusively.

Click here to read the full article.

Editor’s Notes: As a nation, especially in the post-World War II era, the United States has identified itself as a world leader in innovation and as a business-savvy nation.  Even during the toughest of times, a class of creative entrepreneurs and  political leaders somehow managed to find ways to help innovate and keep the economy rolling, eventually leading the country to gain the top spot among world’s economies.  This American entrepreneurship always was rooted in one thing – a keen understanding of the market demands for a product or service and effectively finding a steady supply to meet that demand.  Time and again this demand vs supply model was successfully applied in the market by many savvy innovators and managers, leading to the creation of many successful business houses and millionaires/billionaires across the country.

All of a sudden now things are looking different.  The America at the start of the 21st Century America looks much different than the one in the decades before.  Now the business community seems totally out of touch with the market demand and the political class is not far behind, blindly groping around without any clue of what the people really want.  With a country of 300+ million that is growing every day and the price of gasoline shooting through http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08/government-shutdown-2011_n_846525.htmlthe roof with every war (overt and covert) launched in a different part of the globe under the guise of spreading democracy, the country and the economic engines are grinding themselves to a halt.  The driver of this economic engine has always been the transportation industry and this industry seems to be on a shakier footing than ever.  The rail industry that once dominated the country is now virtually shut out in favor of the motorcars and the highways lobby.  Aviation industry is doing a much better job getting people around faster but the airports and the sector’s infrastructure are starting to show signs of fatigue. 

And along comes this great opportunity, in form of investment in high speed rail, and our political leaders are completely blowing off a golden chance to resurrect the American dominance by completely caving to party-line politics.   There have been way too many arguments made for and against building a high-speed passenger rail network so I’m not even going to attempt bringing them here. All I want to add here is that we have a golden opportunity to encourage the business community to come forward and invest in meeting this demand from consumers.  These ridership numbers from Amtrak are no less of an indicator for a growing demand for a service; unfortunately the government does not have the money to pay for building a rail service that can cater to this demand.  So why not encourage the private sector to get involved in providing that service.  If it takes a little bit of hand holding/encouragement (read as subsidies and tax reliefs), why not do that?  Let the likes of Virgin, JR East, etc come in and set up shop.. Let them build the high speed rail network.. Give them the contracts to develop the lines, as well as the track /train sets.. Let them figure out the economics..  All the political leadership, esp. the conservatives, needs to do is to work with the U.S.DOT and the White House and make it easy for the players to come in and play the field.  A lot of other nations have successfully done this and why are we not trying something that we have taught everyone in the world?  For a nation full of smart people I am not sure why it is taking us so long to understand the strategic benefits of investing in this form of transportation.

In simple terms, we have a lot riding on the rails and we cannot afford to squander this opportunity to build a new industry, especially when there is a growing demand.  Looking  back at the end of the last century, the US government did its best to encourage private sector participation in the creation and development of a brand new industry in the Silicon Valley – Software/IT Industry, which helped establish the country as the market leader in the technology sector and has since spawned many products and services.  It is not a stretch to say many of the advances we have made in the field of computing and technology would not have been possible without this joint private/public sector participation. So, why not replicate the same in the transportation field and encourage the private sector to come in and create a robust industry.  It is not impossible and it is not going to be easy either! But hey, it is any day better than squabbling to score political points and fighting wars in foreign countries.

So, let me conclude by saying this – we don’t just need a new form of transportation but some new, fresh, outside the box thinking and political will to go with it.