The Steel Interstate--a proposal for a new infrastructure project

Saw the link in one of the answers to MrScorpio's post on moving, and thought it should be an OP.

http://www.steelinterstate.org/concept

The Steel Interstate System (SIS) is a core national network of high capacity, grade separated, electrified railroad mainlines. It would realize for railroads what the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System achieved for roads, and would become the backbone for movement of both goods and people in the 21st Century. Many more trains of all kinds could be accommodated and they could move much faster, providing truck-competitive speeds for movement of freight, and auto-competitive speeds for movement of passengers. This section describes what such a rail system would look like, how the SIS would transport all kinds of goods as well as people, and how the concept fits into the evolution of rail transportation in America.

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
The Steel Interstate--a proposal for a new infrastructure project (Original post)	eridani	Nov 2012	OP
Do we have the steel mills?	aquart	Nov 2012	#1
Good point--this would be worth an effort for reshoring this industry n/t	eridani	Nov 2012	#4
Do we have adequate iron ore and scrap steel?	Sirveri	Nov 2012	#6
Interesting. Rec'd.	Kaleva	Nov 2012	#2
I love this. But...	Archaic	Nov 2012	#3
K&R. This has got to be the future for our country,	Ron Green	Nov 2012	#5
We will need bullet train links holding together all our towns and cities when the gas runs out.	Selatius	Nov 2012	#7
Kick	woo me with science	Nov 2012	#8

Response to eridani (Original post)

Mon Nov 26, 2012, 01:06 AM

aquart (67,538 posts)

1. Do we have the steel mills?

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Response to aquart (Reply #1)

Mon Nov 26, 2012, 01:30 AM

eridani (38,412 posts)

4. Good point--this would be worth an effort for reshoring this industry n/t

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Response to aquart (Reply #1)

Tue Nov 27, 2012, 05:05 AM

Sirveri (4,249 posts)

6. Do we have adequate iron ore and scrap steel?

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Response to eridani (Original post)

Mon Nov 26, 2012, 01:16 AM

Kaleva (11,406 posts)

2. Interesting. Rec'd.

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Response to eridani (Original post)

Mon Nov 26, 2012, 01:16 AM

Archaic (143 posts)

3. I love this. But...

Coming from the energy industry, where we run power lines overhead, land rights SUCK.

There's a lot on the site to read still, but that's a bigger sticking point than materials and construction.

My company did a disaster recovery project, where it was determined that if we lost our HQ, no matter how many million dollars worth of equipment we would lose, it would pale in comparison to the recreation of the land rights documentation that have accumulated over 70 years.

But even in small shots, if they improved I-80 across the country, that would be huge. We'd lose some corn, and some grazing land, but with worse and worse droughts to come due to burning coal and oil, they won't be growing much corn in that neck of the woods for much longer.

Thanks for calling it out. More reading for another night.

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Response to eridani (Original post)

Mon Nov 26, 2012, 09:51 AM

Ron Green (6,822 posts)