The Brigham Young statue at Main Street and South Temple stands amid construction of trolley tracks in 1918. (Deseret News Archives)
Plans recently announced to seek funding for a streetcar line to run from the TRAX station at 2100 South east to Sugar House hark back to the day when streetcars and trolleys ruled many of Salt Lake City's streets...
..."In their heyday, more than 100 miles of track criss-crossed the city, and a spider web of lines to keep cars moving was woven overhead,"...
I can't imagine how much money the city and state could save if they still had all that track. That would put SLC far ahead of any city in the country. Sigh.
I think the one being built is the old gymnasium, and the one on Main Street was the old LDS church administration building, which was directly across the street from the temple.
the majority were just paved over I think (the original trolley tracks on 400 south had to be moved in order to accommodate TRAX). However, I'm pretty sure all the original tracks are in an irreparable condition and would likely need to all be replaced.
Salt Lake and other Western cities may someday be on routes for trains like German Siemens AG-made Velaro series. (Kirill Kudryavtsev,Afp/Getty Images)
But in the past five years, as pollution, global climate change, fluctuating fuel prices and dwindling oil supplies have gotten people worried, transportation leaders across the United States have been talking seriously about high-speed rail as a solution. They're drawing maps dotted with potential train routes. They're forming regional alliances. And they're talking about funding.
This is bogus. There are some areas in the country where this makes sense, but widespread adoption would be a giant waste of taxpayer money. This money can go to local mass transit projects that will build density and are actually needed.
This is bogus. There are some areas in the country where this makes sense, but widespread adoption would be a giant waste of taxpayer money. This money can go to local mass transit projects that will build density and are actually needed.
...and the freeway system wasn't?
Why don't we allocate the money going to build new roads towards local mass transit projects instead. This would be an effective way to build density and curb sprawl.
As much as I love the idea of high speed trains, I have to agree it's just too unrealistic Too much money, and if it were successful, would probably hurt the airline industry in the area hard enough to forget about any major expansions at kslc.
As much as I love the idea of high speed trains, I have to agree it's just too unrealistic Too much money, and if it were successful, would probably hurt the airline industry in the area hard enough to forget about any major expansions at kslc.
Wouldn't trains be better than airliners anyway?.. Unless we can come up with solar powered jet engines, I think this high speed trains might be a better alternative. Tracks could also serve as energy conductors. If there were a large enough network powered by solar panels, it is possible to have 24/7 power for the system.
Wouldn't trains be better than airliners anyway?.. Unless we can come up with solar powered jet engines, I think this high speed trains might be a better alternative. Tracks could also serve as energy conductors. If there were a large enough network powered by solar panels, it is possible to have 24/7 power for the system.
You can't look at this as just a one issue problem. While planes will probably always emit carbon dioxide and other gases, they could get to the point where they are very minimal. Further, people don't seem to talk about the environmental impact of having lots more of trains and tracks criss crossing the countryside. I would much rather have most of our long distance travel happen in the sky where we don't know about it. Think, unless you live by a airport you don't know planes are even coming and going.
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Too much money, and if it were successful, would probably hurt the airline industry in the area hard enough to forget about any major expansions at kslc.
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