http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/MMRadio-MetroDetroitTransit0101.aspx

The above link speaks directly to the future of Detroit and transportation. Check it out!!

GM abandoned the EV1 because of poor sales forecasts in the 90's, but had they kept that vehicle in production and on the lots until 2008, they would likely be the industry leaders in hybrid technology. If the bailout included incentives for consideration of coupling individual autos with a larger mass transit system (think automated highways) we could have a very impressive system in 15-20 years

The federal bailout of the big three auto companies should include incentives for auto companies to be working on public/private partnerships for mass transit systems. The European rail system is a great model for today, but with innovation I think we have the creative capital in this country to focus on efficiency without pulling the average American away from the individual freedom he/she loves

Here is a great plan of this: http://www.urbandesign.org/newdeal2009.html

This plan is laid out here: http://www.urbandesign.org/newdeal2009.html

Biggest advantage is energy efficiency. Travel by high speed rail consumes something like 1% of air travel.

Look what Europe is doing! their dependence on hydrocarbon imports is much, much worse than ours, but their economy is in a much better place because of their intercity rail network. At this point we have late-mover's advantage -- Europe has worked out the kinks, we just need to follow their best practices.

According to a CBS article that was put on the web at the end of last year, federal subsidies to transportation are: approximately $30 billion for highways; approximately $15 billion to the airline industry; and approximately $1 billion to rail. So, it is possible to conclude that if rail received the same amount as the airlines, the cost of rail for a consumer would decrease.

the problem is big business, airlines are kept supported by federal funds the same with amtrac, read an article in a train magazine a few years ago, amtrac just fired president of company after he starts opening new routes negotiating to buy new cars and getting the company back in the black and loosing them their federal funding

that's totally true. it is an expensive first time budget but fits in every angle you look at it. every major city in america should be accessible by rail. imagine spending your weekend in a city hundreds of miles away by only spending $20 for a ticket, or even getting a month pass for a few hundred and travel all of this beautiful country.

A great example of what government can do that the private sector cannot. High-speed intercity rail creates jobs, reduces energy consumption, reduces congestion, and cleans the air. A win on all counts. We could pay for it, in part, just be reducing the subsidies that interstate highways get, requiring that they pay their own way for maintenance based on usage, rather than a tax on fuel.

thanks stuart for your vote.

look what california is doing. imagine being able to hop on a train that can get you from la to san francisco in 2 hours or from dc to nyc in an hour.