Freedom Trains
April 3rd, 2007 by Vihar Sheth | Posted in Environment, Ideas, TransportationWe have much to learn from those red America disdains in George Bush’s war on terror. The French (ah!) have just tested the fastest train . . . ever. In a test conducted today, the latest French TGV train hit 574.8 kmh. For those of you who don’t know, the TGV stands for Traine a Grande Vitesse, which means “train of big fastness” in Alabama, and “very fast train” most everywhere else. The entire point this post is to bring attention to the fact that travel in this country is structured and encouraged to grow in an inherently bad way.
Politicians battle for highway funds and cities want airports with the highest number of take offs and landings. All the while, much of the rest of the developed world designs brilliant public transportation systems that reduce the need for two of the most polluting forms of transit on earth, automobiles and airplanes. I’m all for Richard Branson’s super jet fuel but I’m not holding my breath.
The article that brought my attention to this development does include a ray of hope for the United States: ‘”Not only are you French people lucky to have the high speed train system, but it also impacts the environment in a positive way,” said Fabian Nunez, speaker of the California state assembly, which is looking into a possible link between San Francisco and Los Angeles.’
Woo hoo! Can you imagine . . . a new America with TGV-equivalent trains efficiently carrying people from city to city on America’s coasts and throughout the heartland? I can. The day won’t come soon but I think it will happen. Air travel will always be a significant part of transportation system but small to medium length travel should be supplemented by efficient, environmentally-friendly, and cost-effective rail travel.
Just think, with every ticket purchased, a coupon for free French fries!
