China To Ivest $445bn In Rail System

[essoII]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...-38197,00.html

This is something our government should be looking at! Instead of putting constraints on the transport budget, I think we should start heavily (especially now in recession) in our public transport network.

[chris]

Originally Posted by essoII

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...-38197,00.html

This is something our government should be looking at! Instead of putting constraints on the transport budget, I think we should start heavily (especially now in recession) in our public transport network.

Per capita this only equates to about a €1.2 billion investment in Ireland, and Transport 21 goes far beyond this. Of course, you get a lot more value for money in China...

[$445bn/ 1.3bn people in China x 4.4 million people in ROI / 1.26 exchange rate = €1.2bn]

[essoII]

yeah, fair point actually..its also in dollars! it just sounds like a huge sum of money to spend on infastructure

[ccos]

I've been on Chinese trains, its more of an "experiance" then a nice way to travel. They make IE look like train pros

[essoII]

well at least they're investing in rail(unlike a certain republican administration in a certain superpower country)..hopefully tuesday will see a change in that!

[chris]

Originally Posted by essoII

well at least they're investing in rail(unlike a certain republican administration in a certain superpower country)..hopefully tuesday will see a change in that!

I don't know if that comes within the 10% of the times that McCain voted against Bush

[plant43]

Originally Posted by essoII

well at least they're investing in rail(unlike a certain republican administration in a certain superpower country)..hopefully tuesday will see a change in that!

I doubt it. I don't think rail will be viable in the US without some real serious investment.

In Seattle, for example,the only commuter train service only has about 4 services a day each way and no weekend services. Also you have problems over there in that a lot of the rail track is privately owned by freight companies who have little or no interest in running passenger services.

[essoII]

Originally Posted by plant43

I doubt it. I don't think rail will be viable in the US without some real serious investment.

Hmm..well we'll see if Obama wins tomorrow at some stage anyway. Hopefully his plans to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan will free up some capital which can be spent on studies into better rail infrastructure and management in the US!

[essoII]

WooHOoO!! Obama is elected!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ame...08/7709978.stm