Where are you getting the average speed for Beijing Guangzhou? It does 2230 km in 7:17 (G79, G80) for an average of 306 kmh. So it would do a 441 mile route in 139 min, not 159.
100% agree with the argument (as a regular rider of the Borealis to Madison by getting a ride from Columbus, it's still far better than driving or taking the bus despite the time difference). I will be very curious on the political viability of this though - it seems like it would require so more coordination to actually achieve given the states involved (plus having to solve the Madison problem).
I hope to see it though! Feels like a perfect example of a high speed opportunity.
As a Madisonian and someone who's attended the city meetings about a station, most residents are interested in getting in the heart of downtown (Capitol Square) rather than East Washington. You can definitely still call E Wash "downtown" but it's a relatively newer growth area. Not fully developed.
I couldn't get a straight answer, but it seems like we might have to bite the bullet on moving it further north, even if Capitol Square is a more intriguing spot, because additional 10, 20, or 30 minutes to try and back out of the city is a hard sell. But I'm curious to see what train nerds not from Madison think; they don't have an emotional attachment to a certain spot.
There is an existing line from Winona to Lewiston to Rochester. I know it would add more time to the overall trip, but it wouldonly be 20 minutes with the existing speed, less if it was high-speed. And the college student market in town would also boost ridership on the corners of the weekends. If they allowed by 35 pound dog, I'd be taking it every week...
While routing through Eau Claire would provide a more direct path, the challenges of building a new bridge over the St. Croix River make this option less feasible.
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If you think building a new bridge across the St. Croix ain't easy, wait until you try to build one across the Mississippi.
I find the description of how an HSR line would serve Rochester even harder to understand. Having a downtown Rochester station is going to be far more difficult than bridging the St. Croix River. And you're not going to be able to run a 220 MPH train along US-14 right through those small towns. Following I-90 entirely would make far more sense.
As for connections like Duluth, they ain't going to happen. Northern Lights couldn't get funding from the state of MN is the biggest spending spree in the states history. If you couldn't get the last legislature to come up with $200+ million for it, it's hard to see how future ones will do it given the budget shortfalls the state is now facing. They had an $18 billion _surplus_ last time around and said no. They likely missed their moment.
Having been travelled on that service once, I can say that it's relatively slow speed really allows one time to admire the beautiful Wisconsin countryside.
Where are you getting the average speed for Beijing Guangzhou? It does 2230 km in 7:17 (G79, G80) for an average of 306 kmh. So it would do a 441 mile route in 139 min, not 159.
Thanks for the correction! I got it from a business case study on HSR, but I guess I was ill informed.
100% agree with the argument (as a regular rider of the Borealis to Madison by getting a ride from Columbus, it's still far better than driving or taking the bus despite the time difference). I will be very curious on the political viability of this though - it seems like it would require so more coordination to actually achieve given the states involved (plus having to solve the Madison problem).
I hope to see it though! Feels like a perfect example of a high speed opportunity.
The FRA Midwest Regional Rail Plan from 2021 is a critical addition to the studies you've reviewed here! https://railroads.dot.gov/rail-network-development/planning/systems-planning/regional-rail-planning
As a Madisonian and someone who's attended the city meetings about a station, most residents are interested in getting in the heart of downtown (Capitol Square) rather than East Washington. You can definitely still call E Wash "downtown" but it's a relatively newer growth area. Not fully developed.
I couldn't get a straight answer, but it seems like we might have to bite the bullet on moving it further north, even if Capitol Square is a more intriguing spot, because additional 10, 20, or 30 minutes to try and back out of the city is a hard sell. But I'm curious to see what train nerds not from Madison think; they don't have an emotional attachment to a certain spot.
There is an existing line from Winona to Lewiston to Rochester. I know it would add more time to the overall trip, but it wouldonly be 20 minutes with the existing speed, less if it was high-speed. And the college student market in town would also boost ridership on the corners of the weekends. If they allowed by 35 pound dog, I'd be taking it every week...
"
While routing through Eau Claire would provide a more direct path, the challenges of building a new bridge over the St. Croix River make this option less feasible.
"
If you think building a new bridge across the St. Croix ain't easy, wait until you try to build one across the Mississippi.
I find the description of how an HSR line would serve Rochester even harder to understand. Having a downtown Rochester station is going to be far more difficult than bridging the St. Croix River. And you're not going to be able to run a 220 MPH train along US-14 right through those small towns. Following I-90 entirely would make far more sense.
As for connections like Duluth, they ain't going to happen. Northern Lights couldn't get funding from the state of MN is the biggest spending spree in the states history. If you couldn't get the last legislature to come up with $200+ million for it, it's hard to see how future ones will do it given the budget shortfalls the state is now facing. They had an $18 billion _surplus_ last time around and said no. They likely missed their moment.
On the other hand...
Having been travelled on that service once, I can say that it's relatively slow speed really allows one time to admire the beautiful Wisconsin countryside.