Michigan to get more than $200M to boost high-speed rail service

[WeirdWilly]

Now the Wolverine line can run two hours late even faster than ever!

-----------------------------------------------------------

http://www.freep.com/article/20110509/NEWS05/110509013/Michigan-get-more-than-200M-boost-high-speed-rail-service?odyssey=tab

"Michigan will get $200 million to upgrade rail lines and a share of another $336 million for new high-performance trains and other equipment to build a high-speed rail network between Detroit and Chicago, the Obama administration announced today."

[ snip ]

-----------------------------------------------------------

Here's a radical idea - what about a train that connects Detroit to the EAST? As it stands, if you want to take a train to NYC, you either have to go through Chicago or catch a ride down to Toledo.

Then there is the price. It is usually cheaper to fly than ride, yet Amtrak soaks up over a billion a year in subsidies.

I'm not going to call Chicago NOWHERE, but Detroit needs to connect with other cities to survive.

(And, alas, when I say Detroit, I mean the metro area. The city itself is a sad, lost cause - http://www.theage.com.au/world/victorian-property-developer-shot-dead-in-detroit-20110511-1ehuy.html - ****ing ANIMALS!!!)

[Valuist]

I keep hearing about Chicago to Detroit, Chicago to St. Louis and I can't think of two cities I would rather avoid than Detroit and St. Louis.

Rail is great for freight. No thanks for long distance commuting.

[ArlJim78]

more nonsensical pork barrel spending. it make no sense, there must be 50 flights daily between DTW and Chi which get you there in an hour. I like how people get all thrilled about writing checks with other peoples money and taking credit for creating something.

[HUSKER55]

IT IS ALL ABOUT CREATING JOBS AND POLITICAL APPEARENCE. DOWN THE ROAD, WHEN THIS FAILS, WHO DO YOU THINK WILL GET THE TAB?

[Tom]

They can flee Detroit much faster now.

[bigmack]

What's the problem? Amtwak is in the very least as cost efficient as the postal service.

Mark it a zero.

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_leimsh3O7U1qe0eclo1_r1_500.gif

[ArlJim78]

there is train service now between Chicago and Detroit, and it isn't very good and is not used by many people. my question is by making the train ride 30 minutes faster, where will the throngs of people come from who will switch to this so-called high speed rail?
business? no. Commuters? no. tourists? a handfull