Comments on: España: ¡acabado!

By: Amazed

Amazed — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:03:05 +0000

Lorax, Super Steel Corp. in Milwaukee, has made 300 passenger cars for Chicago Metra in addition to 61 cars for the Washington D.C. metro area. They can either make the entire product here or just assemble a number of parts. Super Steel could have at least assembled the parts from Spain. Doyle didn’t care enough to check Wisconsin industry before getting in bed with Spain. Makes you wonder what he is getting out of the deal. Unlike Europeans, Americans have cars. Europe doesn’t have the excellent network of Interstate highways. You would have to construct overpasses or underpasses throughtout the system to attain the speeds European trains reach.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:51:11 +0000

No, there’s no reason to throw money at it. If it were really that good an idea, it would happen without public funds.

By: The Lorax

The Lorax — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:19:49 +0000

So you have a “stay the course” attitude about highways despite your instinct that trains are good. The reason we had to go to a Spanish company is because no American companies make these trains. Why? Because we’ve never valued rail before.

Bringing the production to Milwaukee will give experience to workers in the area, with a potential to start their own companies in the future. You’ve gotta start somewhere.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:09:34 +0000

True to better late than forever.

I am torn because I love trains when I travel. I do feel strongly that we’ve gone too far down the highway road to try it now.

And isn’t it odd that Doyle would ignore the need to grown industry at home? I just don’t get politicians.

By: Amazed

Amazed — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:32:49 +0000

Yes, Cindy, I agree. This high speed train is Doyle’s attempt at a legacy, at tax payers’ expense. My comment was meant to be facetious. Doyle just bought more trains from Spain, to be constructed in Milwaukee by Spaniards. There’s an editorial in today’s JS about the current bus system offering a better commuter system at a fraction of the price. This bus system carries about 120,000 riders while Doyle’s people claim the train will carry three times as many riders. Both Republican gubernatorial candidates say they will stop the train plans when they are elected. Better late than forever!

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:32:14 +0000

And Brookfield and Watertown!

I still don’t think that train is a good idea for us. Europe has a great train infrastructure, but they haven’t stuck a bazillion dollars into highways. We have. It’s incredibly expensive to be talking about doing both.

What gets me is there’s already a decent bus system that’s only busy when the college kids ride. Business folks are not going to drop the convenience of a car to ride to Madison on a train.

By: Amazed

Amazed — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:24:38 +0000

Sounds like a great trip! While you’re in Spain, would you mind taking notes about that high-speed train? Pay particular attention to how it will translate to Brookfield and beyond. Can you visualize it racing out of Brookfield on its way to the Madison airport? with a stop in Oconomowoc?