I rode China's superfast bullet train that could go from New York to Chicago in 4.5 hours — and it s

[Dungeness]

This is how most of the country work actually, not just unique in China.

In fact, I would say this is how most country subsidize their public transport.

No really. When trains and rail ways belong to different entities, each would have quite explanation to do to their
respective share holders.

 

[jhungary]

No really. When trains and rail ways belong to different entities, each would have quite explanation to do to their
respective share holders.

Most public transit is own either as a whole entity/subsidiary of a government or state government, in the US, almost all public transport infrastructure are own by Port Authority in any state of US and Canada, they are a self sufficient governmental branch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_authority
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Authority_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey
In commonwealth country, these properties is own by an entity created by the government, for example, New South Wales, Transport for NSW is an organisation created by Department of Transport inside NSW government. They own the land and least the land use/occupied by public transport to public. This is how they subsidise the loss of Transport NSW train. They own the land where station square, train station, bus stop, bus depot and ferry wharf and they have lease out properties on top of those infrastructure to recuperate loss occurred by Train, Bus and Ferry Service in NSW.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_for_NSW

In London, Railway and its asset was own by Rail Delivery group, which owned by Network Rail, which in turn were owned by Department of Transport in UK...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Delivery_Group
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Rail


I don't think I have see any "Private/Investor" own public transport company other than Hong Kong (MTR) or Singapore (SMRT), and I have been to US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Philippine, Hong Kong, Singapore, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, South Africa.

 

[Mista]

Most public transit is own either as a whole entity/subsidiary of a government or state government, in the US, almost all public transport infrastructure are own by Port Authority in any state of US and Canada, they are a self sufficient governmental branch.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_authority
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Authority_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey
In commonwealth country, these properties is own by an entity created by the government, for example, New South Wales, Transport for NSW is an organisation created by Department of Transport inside NSW government. They own the land and least the land use/occupied by public transport to public. This is how they subsidise the loss of Transport NSW train. They own the land where station square, train station, bus stop, bus depot and ferry wharf and they have lease out properties on top of those infrastructure to recuperate loss occurred by Train, Bus and Ferry Service in NSW.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_for_NSW

In London, Railway and its asset was own by Rail Delivery group, which owned by Network Rail, which in turn were owned by Department of Transport in UK...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_Delivery_Group
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Rail


I don't think I have see any "Private/Investor" own public transport company other than Hong Kong (MTR) or Singapore (SMRT), and I have been to US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Philippine, Hong Kong, Singapore, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, South Africa.

It's similar in HK and Singapore actually.

75% of HK's listed MTR is owned by the government.

Singapore's SMRT is now delisted and owned solely by Temasek, a Sovereign Wealth Fund. It sold the rail operating assets to the government too.

https://www.gov.sg/factually/conten...o-know-about-the-new-rail-financing-framework

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/returning-smrt-to-the-state

 

[AndrewJin]

Murican public transport is worse than many Sub-Sahara African countries.
They r proud of their road system, that is worse than many Sub-Sahara African countries too.

 

[andylrd]

Also, do not compare the train ticket in China and plane ticket in US, both have different living indexes. Merely $125 for a jet blue ticket and 100 for a train ticket in China represent nothing. Because a Big Mac cost 4.9 USD in US and 2.5 USD in China. Living standard is different, you cannot compare the price of a ticket 1 on 1. That's again, apple to oranges.

Why here costs me >3.2 USD ....

 

[jhungary]

Why here costs me >3.2 USD ....
View attachment 474094

urrgh...inflation?

the price I quote is 2017, I just ask my relative in the US, as of May 2018, A big mac in US cost USD$5.3 now instead of $4.9

 

[LeGenD]

China is a role model of modernization in our times.

 

[OIO]

China is a role model of modernization in our times.

Pakistan will be a role model of modernization around Arabian sea in the near future.

 

[Daniel808]

As long as the US remain her suburban model with low population density, they won't acquire these shiny transport infrastructures. It's just not fiscally feasible.

Japan, SK, France, Germany and UK all have high density city in respect to their population, US have a relatively low population density. Take US and Germany for an example. US have a population of 331 millions, with 3.7 millions sq kilometre, yet there are only 9 US cities have over 1 millions population. On the other hand, Germany have a 81 millions population, 360 thousand sq kilometre size, but Germany have 4 cities that was over 1 millions.

Then you couple it with land price of the usually dense cities in America, that spell out a big NO to HSR development.

Geez, I mean I am okay with people being dumb, and do dumb arse thing, but at least read carefully on other people opinion before trying to sound smart.

Low population density doesn't mean you don't need to upgrade your Dying old Infrastructure, in this case High Speed Rail (HST).

China maybe have Total population almost 1.4 Billion Manpower, but you need to remember.
Western area of Heihe-Tengchong Line, only have 6% of population. That's mean only 85 million people.

But that doesn't mean China don't need to Upgrade their Infrastructure in Western Area, in this case High Speed Rail.
For example, Lanzhou - Urumqi High Speed Rail Network

Lanzhou - Urumqi High Speed Rail Network

Low population density is not a reason to keep your dying old infrastructure keep alive, and don't upgrade it
That's only a Ridiculous excuses for low IQ people.
But Chinese have higher IQ, so you cannot fool Chinese members

It's the same reason like Indian horde in here always say, It doesn't matter how poor their life, how dirty their living environment, how unhygienic their food as long as they have Supa powa Democrazy, India is much much better than other country


@TaiShang @GS Zhou @Cybernetics @LKJ86 and many others

 

[SQ8]

I will have to say TSA is quite substandard to most European Airport Authority. Used to be okay if I travel with my uniform, but in general, I think they treat everybody shit and slightly Islamophobic.

My wife used to work for Qantas and SAS, she know about airport staff......


I think any part of Chicago is utter poop, they are like New Jersey or downtown Philly to me, I don't usually go to Chicago....



Yeah, we all sold our soul to those people a long time ago, I don't think I can live by without my car...…

The Europeans are far ahead due to a higher exposure to tourism throughout Europe. They are used to dealing with other people, ideas and cultures whereas many people in Iowa don’t know what a Californian or New Yorker looks like and find them alien let alone someone from another country.

 

[Mista]

Low population density doesn't mean you don't need to upgrade your Dying old Infrastructure, in this case High Speed Rail (HST).

China maybe have Total population almost 1.4 Billion Manpower, but you need to remember.
Western area of Heihe-Tengchong Line, only have 6% of population. That's mean only 85 million people.

But that doesn't mean China don't need to Upgrade their Infrastructure in Western Area, in this case High Speed Rail.
For example, Lanzhou - Urumqi High Speed Rail Network

Lanzhou - Urumqi High Speed Rail Network

Low population density is not a reason to keep your dying old infrastructure keep alive, and don't upgrade it
That's only a Ridiculous excuses for low IQ people.
But Chinese have higher IQ, so you cannot fool Chinese members

It's the same reason like Indian horde in here always say, It doesn't matter how poor their life, how dirty their living environment, how unhygienic their food as long as they have Supa powa Democrazy, India is much much better than other country


@TaiShang @GS Zhou @Cybernetics @LKJ86 and many others

85m people is still the size of Germany, and the lines are funded by the central government.

The entire southern Thailand has only 9m people, less than half of Shanghai, and they are mainly farmers spread across a wide piece of agriculture land.

The bulk of the southern population relies on agriculture for 27 percent of its gross regional product in 2014. It is followed by industry (12 percent), trade (10 percent), transportation (9 percent), tourism (8 percent), and construction and property (7 percent).

Why would you build a HSR across an agriculture land? Who's willing to bear the cost? The Malaysian or Thai government? It's simply better to fly from KL to Bangkok rather than to build a HSR there.

Edit: Sorry, replied to the wrong thread. I thought this was the post about linking KL to Bangkok. Still my point stands. Density is required for HSR to be viable.

 

[jhungary]

Again, I think you needed your eyes and head check.

WHERE EXACTLY DID I SAY UNITED STATES DID NOT MAINTAIN THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE DUE TO LOW POPULATION DENSITY?

I said low density is the reason American do not need High Speed Rail, High Speed Rail is not the same as old infrastructure, which include subway, highway, A-Road, B-Road, port and etc, which is a consensus here in this topic agreed by multiple member across different nations. I also said both Air and Ground infrastructure needed upgrade, and I also discuss why US did not upgrade their infrastructure except for a few with my exchange with @Oscar above.

As for the point about Germany, Europe High Speed Network are mostly subsidised by the government and as discussed above, European City have a higher density than US cities in general.

Try to actually read other people post being trying to be a Smart Arse, well, you wanted to play like Kevin Klein on the runway, but ended up like Kevin James stumbling down the road.

The Europeans are far ahead due to a higher exposure to tourism throughout Europe. They are used to dealing with other people, ideas and cultures whereas many people in Iowa don’t know what a Californian or New Yorker looks like and find them alien let alone someone from another country.

Well, I want to say ignorant is a bliss, but in reality, it just annoying.

Most of the American I know is quite inward, not too cosmo if you know what I mean, they don't really care about outsider, and in most case, harbouring an hostile sentiment toward outsider.

I always say to my friend in Oz and not from US or Europe about the different between American and European. In America, they don't know where I came from, and often make a mess out of themselves, in Europe, nobody care where I come from.

But I guess we are a bit off topic don't you think lol

 

[Mista]

Why here costs me >3.2 USD ....
View attachment 474094

Which city do you live in? And does each city have a different price for Big Mac?

 

[oprih]

Lol india and america's infrastructures are total garbarge, trains derailing everywhere must be a product of democracy.

 

[andylrd]

Which city do you live in? And does each city have a different price for Big Mac?

I'm in DongGuan.
I used to think the prices should be exact the same, it turns out to be not.
Learn that the prices may vary (not too much) base on where the store is, which city / the location..... take 3 cities nearby as an example:

1. Dongguan, my location: 20.5 RMB = 3.23 USD
2. ShenZhen, 40km from here, down town, also: 20.5 RMB = 3.23 USD
3. Guangzhou (Canton), Canton tower store: 22.0 RMB = 3.47 USD

The price is low, and it seems never change (both KFC and McDonald's). If I recall correctly, it should have been almost the same price back in 10 years ago. It's almost cheaper than chinese fast food now.

10 years ago, a simple chowmein costed 3.5-5.0 RMB, now it costs 8-10 RMB (last year, I ordered a chowmei in a small store. When I handed a 5 yuan paper to the storekeeper to pay, he looks puzzled, and said it costed 10. My face flushed and said I thought it's 5. He asked "when it was the last time you buy a chowmein?" - "9 years ago, I guess" - "I see"!).

Can I call KFC / McRonald's "conscientious" for being that? .. haha...