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Originally Posted by RWebb
the real issue is getting land to run the trains on
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Our need for transportation is increasing. Instead of adding another 2 lanes to an interstate, use the land for a set of tracks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RWebb
rail is point to point, but you can drive on any road in a car (if it isn't badly grid-locked)
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That is where autonomous cars and the fact that cars are becoming more like appliances rather than cherished personal possessions or some kind of extension of who we are is making rail more viable. You could take a train to within a few tens of miles of your destination, swipe a credit card in a slot and drive away in some four wheeled appliance to get you to your final destination. You can bypass the gridlock and the expense of owning a car, and for increasing numbers of people that is an attractive alternative.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RWebb
... uh... 3rd rail is that autonomous cars can really put a crimp in rail
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They are still subject to gridlock and will still require more lanes of pavement to accommodate late 21st century transportation loads.