Interstate Traveler rears its head again.

gumby · #1 June 15th, 2009, 04:45 PM

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...rail-prototype

Novine · #2 June 15th, 2009, 05:40 PM

A Bernie Madoff investment scheme! Here's where the Pension Funds can put their money

ljbad89 · #3 June 15th, 2009, 07:36 PM

Man, for 2 billion dollars or whatever that large amount of money was, one coud make the conventional 40 mile rail line from Detroit quadrupal-tracked so that commuter trains don't have to share the tracks with freights, build new stations for Detroit, Dearborn, Westland, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, and probably still have enough money left over to run it for a while.

iheartthed · #4 June 15th, 2009, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljbad89

Man, for 2 billion dollars or whatever that large amount of money was, one coud make the conventional 40 mile rail line from Detroit quadrupal-tracked so that commuter trains don't have to share the tracks with freights, build new stations for Detroit, Dearborn, Westland, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, and probably still have enough money left over to run it for a while.

But what fun is that?! Clearly we need to entertain ridiculous proposals to attempt to prove an unsubstantiated ideological point, instead of actually building something that might be successful.

professorscott · #5 June 15th, 2009, 08:14 PM

You have to admit they're good promoters, though. Look at the attention they're getting: articles in the papers, hearings in Lansing. Must be some damn highfalutin snake oil they got in thet thar trunk!

ghettopalmetto · #6 June 15th, 2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by professorscott

You have to admit they're good promoters, though. Look at the attention they're getting: articles in the papers, hearings in Lansing. Must be some damn highfalutin snake oil they got in thet thar trunk!

I'm just curious why these guys only seem to be promoting this idea within Michigan. You'd think if it were superior to existing technologies, they'd try to sell it in a state with existing high transit ridership, like Illinois or New Jersey, to alleviate congestion and provide more effective service. You never read anything about the Interstate Traveler project in media outside of Michigan. I wonder if the Interstate Traveler people are hoping that folks in Michigan are just ignorant enough about trains and gullible enough to buy into this "technology".

Trainman · #7 June 15th, 2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

I'm just curious why these guys only seem to be promoting this idea within Michigan. You'd think if it were superior to existing technologies, they'd try to sell it in a state with existing high transit ridership, like Illinois or New Jersey, to alleviate congestion and provide more effective service. You never read anything about the Interstate Traveler project in media outside of Michigan. I wonder if the Interstate Traveler people are hoping that folks in Michigan are just ignorant enough about trains and gullible enough to buy into this "technology".

I don't wonder if the people on Michigan are ignorant or not. How much do any of you DYers want to bet that the SMART property tax will pass in all three counties next Augtust 2010?

80 percent of us support cuts in state and federal funds, gross incompetence to coordinate bus systems and the nearly total lack of fare box revenue.

As long as the words MASS TRANSIT are on the ballot, the majority of us will just simply check YES. It's that simple, unless of course my website gets well known and people in Michigan actually learn the facts that we need quality mass transit to come first with our existing limited transportation tax dollars. This should be a prerequisite for all transportation tax increases but it is not as evidenced by the support to increase the state fuel tax and vehicle fees sans mass transit.

Go to google and type save fuel tax. see first website

gravitymachine · #8 June 15th, 2009, 10:06 PM

"is there a chance the track could bend?"

"not on your life my hindu friend"

dtowncitylover · #9 June 15th, 2009, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gravitymachine

"is there a chance the track could bend?"

"not on your life my hindu friend"

Awesome Simpsons reference. Bravo, my friend, bravo!

professorscott · #10 June 15th, 2009, 11:27 PM

Ghettopalmetto,

Justin Sutton has spent some portion of his life in SE Mich. I'm not sure if he's from here - I've only ever met him once - but he has some personal connection to the region, which is why he prefers to ply this particular trade in these particular parts.

There may be other and more subtle reasons, but Sir William of Ockham tells me that's probably the actual reason.

Prof. Scott

MIRepublic · #11 June 16th, 2009, 12:29 AM

They aren't good salesmen, they have a fanboy in Lansing (Republican Brighton state rep. Bill Rogers) pimping the plan with gusto lending some level of credibility to their efforts. He has a lot to gain from this, politically, given that they are Livingston County-based from what I understand. So, let's not pretend that they some expert salesmen; they just finally got someone to listen to them in Lansing, as this has been around for many years, now.