China railways scandal widens, raising criticism

[siegecrossbow]

Just because some corrupt guy is in charge of the railroad doesn't mean that HSR is a bad idea.

 

[Anonymous user]

Is it time for the Chinese railways to slow down and focus on reducing costs for their railways? Above all do a cleanup of the people involved.

Too fast too soon?

I believe this is a right time to build the HSR, sure the people may not benefit it today but least when the country becomes less populous and wealthier people can start to see the benefits of HSR.

The CPC must have accounted for higher oil pricing in the future and logically the only form of transport that can travel across great distances with speed is HSR. No other form of renewable energy can power an plan engine at current but it is possible with to so with HSR.

Anyway investment in a network of HSR takes decades, its better to do so now before the world scrambles for the remaining resources of steel.

A good example is the US who invested years for short term interest of the people in their roads and Suburb lifestyle and are now realizing the errors of their poor planning.

 

[StingRoy]

And like below freezing said, people can just not take it, the regular transportation net is still there and better than what most countries have.

Are the number of normal trains available the same as before HSR or have they shut down these lines?

 

[tanlixiang28776]

Are the number of normal trains available the same as before HSR or have they shut down these lines?

They shut down some really outdated trains that move at like 40 Km/hour but are still building more standard trains than even HSR.

 

[StingRoy]

There is still much more standard rail than HSR.

Then why are the people complaining when they can use the standard railways?

 

[tanlixiang28776]

Then why are the people complaining when they can use the standard railways?

They complain because they see other people use HSR when they cannot afford it.

 

[CardSharp]

They shut down some really outdated trains that move at like 40 Km/hour but are still building more standard trains than even HSR.

Ahhhh I still remember riding those old clunking green trains. Everyone playing cards, everyone eating out of Styrofoam boxes, then chucking them out of the window..... I hope they've stopped that.

 

[no_name]

People are assuming that china is focusing everything on HSR. Typical article written without careful research. China is also continuously upgrading operating speed of existing conventional rails. And of all the new rail tracks to be laid down till 2020, approx only 10% of mileage are HSR.
They are also opening alot of new airports further inland.

It is a comprehensive transport upgrade.

 

[tanlixiang28776]

Ahhhh I still remember riding those old clunking green trains. Everyone playing cards, everyone eating out of Styrofoam boxes, then chucking them out of the window..... I hope they've stopped that.

They still exist. Be afraid, very afraid.

---------- Post added at 06:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:22 AM ----------

People are assuming that china is focusing everything on HSR. Typical article written without careful research. China is also continuously upgrading operating speed of existing conventional rails. And of all the new rail tracks to be laid down till 2020, approx only 10% of mileage are HSR.
They are also opening alot of new airports further inland.

It is a comprehensive transport upgrade.

Well they can't be seen complimenting anything China does well.

 

[CardSharp]

I believe this is a right time to build the HSR, sure the people may not benefit it today but least when the country becomes less populous and wealthier people can start to see the benefits of HSR.

The CPC must have accounted for higher oil pricing in the future and logically the only form of transport that can travel across great distances with speed is HSR. No other form of renewable energy can power an plan engine at current but it is possible with to so with HSR.

Anyway investment in a network of HSR takes decades, its better to do so now before the world scrambles for the remaining resources of steel.

A good example is the US who invested years for short term interest of the people in their roads and Suburb lifestyle and are now realizing the errors of their poor planning.

This is the shortfall of a democracy, it is very hard to start and finish huge projects. If a guy A starts a project in his term, guy B that follows has no real political incentive to finish something with guy A's name on it (credit going all to guy A).

This kind of problem is especially bad if the country is in political deadlock.

 

[CardSharp]

They still exist. Be afraid, very afraid.

I'm not hating on those old school trains, just hope they cracked down on tossing containers out of the window. A bloody travesty, we can learn a thing or two from the Germans.

 

[StingRoy]

I believe this is a right time to build the HSR, sure the people may not benefit it today but least when the country becomes less populous and wealthier people can start to see the benefits of HSR.

The CPC must have accounted for higher oil pricing in the future and logically the only form of transport that can travel across great distances with speed is HSR. No other form of renewable energy can power an plan engine at current but it is possible with to so with HSR.

Anyway investment in a network of HSR takes decades, its better to do so now before the world scrambles for the remaining resources of steel.

A good example is the US who invested years for short term interest of the people in their roads and Suburb lifestyle and are now realizing the errors of their poor planning.

I agree to that... it does take a huge amount of money and time to invest in such massive scale projects. I have a great admiration for the speed at which the HSR has been implemented and at the same time I have had apprehensions about justifying its cost/benefit ratio to the common man.

I think the US investment in suburbia and road infrastructure has served them well over 4-5 decades and will keep serving them for another couple more. That is enough time to reduce the urban sprawl.... we are already seeing changes in this direction as more and more people are choosing to stay closer to their workplaces and wanting to commute lesser.

 

[tanlixiang28776]

I'm not hating on those old school trains, just hope they cracked down on tossing containers out of the window. A bloody travesty, we can learn a thing or two from the Germans.

They could just lock the windows and only release them during a emergency. Guess HSR solves this problem already though.

 

[no_name]

China's five year plan is like the 4 year term of western government (campaign vows ???). Only that the new guy builds on previous guy's work instead of tearing it down.

This is the shortfall of a democracy, it is very hard to start and finish huge projects. If a guy A starts a project in his term, guy B that follows has no real political incentive to finish something with guy A's name on it (credit going all to guy A).

This kind of problem is especially bad if the country is in political deadlock.

 

[no_name]

They could just lock the windows and only release them during a emergency. Guess HSR solves this problem already though.

Hahaha ain't nobody gonna stick their heads outside at 380 km/h. You can't breath.


Oh and it slows the train down, even if just by a few km/h.