Saturday, July 30, 2011

When it comes to High-Speed Rail, you do the math!



"Fifty million people already inhabit the region served by Amtrak's Northeast Corridor."
". . .the population is expected to grow to 70 million by 2050."
". . . carry 18 million passengers per year."


That's what Vice-President of Amtrak HSR, Albrecht Engel, is saying for Amtrak's anticipated high-speed trains.  Is that significant?


The CHSRA insists that it's projected 39 million annual riders is the correct forecast, based on a smaller population expected in California by 2050 (50 million).


Shouldn't we be asking how there will be only 18 million riders with a population of 70 million in the Northeast Corridor (the busiest transit corridor in the US), while the CHSRA projects 39 million riders with an anticipated population of 50 million.


I've never been very good at math, but this problem is crystal clear.  We're being lied to.


Thanks to William Grindley for finding this and bringing it to our attention.


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