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179 comments on DrumBeat: May 25, 2006

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ericy on May 25, 2006 - 10:36pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I tossed it out as an idea that I thought interesting, that's all.  No need to jump down my throat about it.  And for that matter, it has been suggested that some locations like marshalling yards wouldn't be good candidates for electrification with overhead wires.

The problem is that despite what any of us say here, nothing at all is happening in this area.  Next week the situation will be exactly the same as it is today.  A month from now it will almost certainly be the same.  And there is a good chance that a year from now the situation will be unchanged.

We can say let's get to work, but until the railroads develop an interest in this, nothing is going to happen.  State and local authorities might be able to do some things to incentivize the railroads.  Federal authorities might in theory also incentivize them, but I just don't see that happening given who is in charge now.  And despite all of this, it will still have to be the railroads that decide to change their way of doing things.

So what exactly should we be doing??

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Twilight on May 25, 2006 - 11:03pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
So what exactly should we be doing??

I don't know, bitching and moaning and getting frustrated, which is what I was doing - sorry to take it out on you.  

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AlanfromBigEasy on May 25, 2006 - 11:24pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I developed a handout for the Peak Oil & Environment conference in DZC and handed out 263 of them.  I send about 5 electronic versions out each week to retired politicans, columnists, professors, think tanks, etc.

Send me an eMail at Alan_Drake@Juno.com for a copy to send out as well if you like. (Anyone is welcome ! :-)

I am working for more streetcars here in New Orleans and developing some theories for their use and route planning.  Plus more local recovery work whereever I can.

Pushing my agenda here, which I think will grow in influence over time.

I am pushing long odds, I know.  But if I DON'T try, the odds are still longer.

I figure several thousand hours of my effort (+ money) will have a >1% and less than <5% chance to impact public policy in some positive way.

I accept that "cost" and odds.

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ericy on May 26, 2006 - 12:16am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Yeah, I know - I was there when you were handing all those things out at the meeting in DC.  Long odds but worth the effort.  In reality, I am just trying to think of ideas that can get things moving more quickly.

Is there any chance that Canadian railroads might be more amenable than the U.S. railroads to electrification?

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AlanfromBigEasy on May 25, 2006 - 11:27pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Some marshalling yards are electrified, some not.

Earlier this year, France made a commitment to electrify their yards and small branch lines.

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179 comments on DrumBeat: May 25, 2006

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