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ashling

(25,771 posts) Wed Dec 26, 2012, 04:44 PM Dec 2012

Trains - US v China

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/26/china-high-speed-rail-bullet-trains

China opens world's longest high-speed railway line

Beijing and Guangzhou now linked by 186mph bullet trains, but network project has been dogged by scandal and high costs

4 replies

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Trains - US v China (Original Post) ashling Dec 2012 OP

This will be an ongoing problem. Indydem Dec 2012 #1

I don't believe that any of your five stated reasons why America couldn't build a high speed ladjf Dec 2012 #2

Yeah, except that personal computer thing. Or that internet thing. Indydem Dec 2012 #3

Yeah, we can only get around those things when there are big profits for some corporation ashling Dec 2012 #4

Indydem

(2,642 posts)

1. This will be an ongoing problem.

Reply to ashling (Original post)

Wed Dec 26, 2012, 05:10 PM

Dec 2012

China doesn't have to get permission from every landowner.

China doesn't observe environmental restrictions.

China doesn't have a hodge podge of old systems to work around.

China just builds it and their critics can die (and likely will)

America is a different place.

ladjf

(17,320 posts)

2. I don't believe that any of your five stated reasons why America couldn't build a high speed

Reply to Indydem (Reply #1)

Wed Dec 26, 2012, 06:04 PM

Dec 2012

trains are the real reasons. I would categorize your "reasons" as excuses why we haven't done it. America hasn't developed much of anything since we sent men to the Moon.

Indydem

(2,642 posts)

3. Yeah, except that personal computer thing. Or that internet thing.

Reply to ladjf (Reply #2)

Wed Dec 26, 2012, 06:06 PM

Dec 2012

Or that mobile phone thing.

Oh. Right.

ashling

(25,771 posts)

4. Yeah, we can only get around those things when there are big profits for some corporation

Reply to Indydem (Reply #1)

Wed Dec 26, 2012, 07:46 PM

Dec 2012

your first two

China doesn't have to get permission from every landowner.

China doesn't observe environmental restrictions.

haven't stopped Keystone or fracking from going ahead

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