Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
You do understand that AMTRAK utilizes the rails owned by other railroads, right? wercal Jul 2013 #1
Yep. Buy or pull eminent domain on them. Taverner Jul 2013 #2
These would be the private "rights of way" originally secured from public lands, yes? villager Jul 2013 #3
What the hell does that matter wercal Jul 2013 #11
Well, if it doesn't matter, I guess you can stop being in high dudgeon villager Jul 2013 #15
Look the op has no idea what he is talking about wercal Jul 2013 #20
I "rant?" Bit of a projection, yes? villager Jul 2013 #23
So we both agree - your opinion on the acquisition on ROW wercal Jul 2013 #25
And now, in typical "my anger comes before anything else" internet posting fashion... villager Jul 2013 #29
Really....am I the incoherent one? wercal Jul 2013 #50
You're one of those professional argument seekers. villager Jul 2013 #66
Lets see? wercal Jul 2013 #67
well, you were picking an argument with the OP, if we're going to remember it accurately villager Jul 2013 #68
Got it wercal Jul 2013 #69
You're a real words-in-mouth guy, which may explain the constant anger. But I never thought you were villager Jul 2013 #70
+1 HiPointDem Jul 2013 #30
you do understand that this is basically a giveaway to freight lines .. srican69 Jul 2013 #17
So what wercal Jul 2013 #21
looks like you're the person who doesn't know how the rail system works, since you don't HiPointDem Jul 2013 #32
Well why don't you show me where I said ANYTHING contrary to your post wercal Jul 2013 #49
'private ownership' is not the insurmountable obstacle or 'flaw' you claim, nor does the OP's HiPointDem Jul 2013 #52
I used to tell this to my kids: wercal Jul 2013 #57
i have no interest in explaining anything to you, it would be a siphysian task. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #60
Ok...confirming that 'Just because you say something, it doesn't make it true' wercal Jul 2013 #62
i wasn't trying to impress you, & i never use spellcheck. i use the word that fits. if i'd been HiPointDem Jul 2013 #64
Amtrak owns the tracks along the Northeast Corridor KamaAina Jul 2013 #59
They own the NE routes because they have the ridership to justify the maintenance costs wercal Jul 2013 #65
Where you going to get the track from? MicaelS Jul 2013 #4
Good answer. Brickbat Jul 2013 #7
Thanks. n/t MicaelS Jul 2013 #10
"tracks owned by private RR companies" built on land they got for free from the gov't, with HiPointDem Jul 2013 #34
High-speed rail on the west coast? Where?! MindPilot Jul 2013 #48
Nope, won't happen. elleng Jul 2013 #53
Nationalize Amtrak dtotire Jul 2013 #5
Actually, most European countries are now allowing private operators to compete with the national RR brooklynite Jul 2013 #16
yes, with a little push from the forces of neoliberalism, primarily the US & UK. doesn't negate HiPointDem Jul 2013 #35
People really don't have any idea when it comes to trackage, trackage rights, "bullet trains" and Brickbat Jul 2013 #6
We gave them the rails with the Homestead Act, we can take them back Taverner Jul 2013 #8
Um....no. Brickbat Jul 2013 #9
A lot of the RR right of way has been converted to recreational trails csziggy Jul 2013 #22
The tracks required for high speed rail and freight trains are different FarCenter Jul 2013 #54
I thought Amtrak was already a completely nationalized industry? NuclearDem Jul 2013 #12
Amtrack is a nationalized passenger rail service. JVS Jul 2013 #18
Tracks aside, what is private about Amtrak now? Boom Sound 416 Jul 2013 #13
Go home. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #36
One way? Boom Sound 416 Jul 2013 #47
Nothing. elleng Jul 2013 #55
UNREC brooklynite Jul 2013 #14
Start with the local areas, then move it national Taverner Jul 2013 #40
Within that 400-mile distance KamaAina Jul 2013 #61
If we're going to play fantasy wishing games... MicaelS Jul 2013 #19
USA: Completely nationalize, rebuild and then give to the citizens. PowerToThePeople Jul 2013 #24
Thats all fine and dandy, but how we going to do all that production.... NoOneMan Jul 2013 #26
Solar power most of it Taverner Jul 2013 #27
We're going to put solar panels on the bulldozers we need to mine the ore? NoOneMan Jul 2013 #28
Probably a lot of steel in Detroit's decaying infrastructure could be recycled. PowerToThePeople Jul 2013 #31
This is true Taverner Jul 2013 #38
And we can use all the rotted wood and abandoned homes in Detroit .... oldhippie Jul 2013 #45
Relax - one vehicle at a time Taverner Jul 2013 #41
Thatll....take some time NoOneMan Jul 2013 #43
And we can finance the entire project .... oldhippie Jul 2013 #33
I was going to say we could finance it on hope NoOneMan Jul 2013 #39
That's even a better idea! oldhippie Jul 2013 #42
it's quite amazing how many 'democrats' hate a pretty basic idea like national rail. HiPointDem Jul 2013 #37
...add pretty much all public transportation n/t leftstreet Jul 2013 #44
funny democrats HiPointDem Jul 2013 #46
There are no numbers in the OP to indicate that the proposal is even close to economic FarCenter Jul 2013 #56
maybe it's not, but that's not the drift of the naysayers. i think it's a bit blue-sky, but i HiPointDem Jul 2013 #58
Employee owned, great idea n/t WovenGems Jul 2013 #51
When my mom asks me what I learned today I'm going to tell her.... sgtbenobo Jul 2013 #63
All we need now is Bunnahabhain Jul 2013 #71
Ahhhh but this would make the makers takers and vice versa Taverner Jul 2013 #72
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»AMTRAK: Completely nation...»Reply #39