Thursday, February 10, 2011

Soviet-Style Train System



Today in wingnuttery.

Los Angeles – Vice President Joe Biden Tuesday proposed that the US government infuse $53 billion into a national high-speed rail network. The announcement was met immediately by deep skepticism from two House Republicans that could be crucial to the plan's success, raising questions about whether it can clear Capitol Hill.

House Transportation Committee Chair Rep. John Mica (R) of Florida said previous administration grants to high-speed rail projects were a failure, producing "snail speed trains to nowhere." He called Amtrak a "Soviet-style train system" and said it "hijacked" nearly all the administration's rail projects.

I'm reasonably sure the "previous administration grants" have produced approximately nothing which have affected current train service because these things take time. As for "Soviet-style train system," I actually know nothing about Soviet inter-city rail, but the Moscow subway is supposed to be pretty good.