The Off Topic Topic

[Eddie Teach]

I thought it was strange since it didn't follow the usual template.  I was absolutely qualified for the job.  :shrug:

Was the job waiting tables?

Have you ever even had a job?

He's been fired twice for assaulting co-workers. 

[Habbaku]

Is there any railroad in the world that makes a profit?

Though I imagine the profit/expense ratio for highways is far worse.

CSX, Norfolk & Southern, I don't know the names of any more...

Ok, so basically only freight rail.

I am sure we're thinking more along the lines of passenger rail.

How does passenger rail significantly improve infrastructure?

[Admiral Yi]

Ok, so basically only freight rail.

I am sure we're thinking more along the lines of passenger rail.

Britain privatized their passenger rail.

I'd be interested if anyone has any stats on European or Japanese passenger rail subsidies.  I've never thought about it either way.

[Razgovory]

I thought it was strange since it didn't follow the usual template.  I was absolutely qualified for the job.  :shrug:

Was the job waiting tables?

Have you ever even had a job?

He's been fired twice for assaulting co-workers. 

They didn't fire me for that, though they were unhappy with the one that happened during working hours.

[Jacob]

Just read in Time that the Greek railroad generates $100 million annually in revenue and pays out $400 million in wages.

Is there any railroad in the world that makes a profit?

Though I imagine the profit/expense ratio for highways is far worse.

The Chinese railway companies are rolling in profit IIRC.

[Grinning_Colossus]

Ok, so basically only freight rail.

I am sure we're thinking more along the lines of passenger rail.

Britain privatized their passenger rail.

I'd be interested if anyone has any stats on European or Japanese passenger rail subsidies.  I've never thought about it either way.

And it's incredibly expensive. Clean, though.

[DGuller]

I just read that the Tappan Zee replacement bridge in New York will cost $6 billion, and that was a much reduced price tag after mass transit part of the bridge was scrapped.  WTF?  Does it really cost $6 billion to build a new relatively short bridge?  No wonder our infrastructure is crumbling when it costs the GDP of an African country to build one fucking bridge.

[HisMajestyBOB]

I just read that the Tappan Zee replacement bridge in New York will cost $6 billion, and that was a much reduced price tag after mass transit part of the bridge was scrapped.  WTF?  Does it really cost $6 billion to build a new relatively short bridge?  No wonder our infrastructure is crumbling when it costs the GDP of an African country to build one fucking bridge.

Depends on where in the US. In the Northeast there appears to be many more corrupt contractors and local governments, giving you crap like the Big Dig.

The I-95/Beltway Springfield project in Virginia was finished on time and on budget, despite being a massive project on some of the busiest roads in the country.

[Barrister]

I just read that the Tappan Zee replacement bridge in New York will cost $6 billion, and that was a much reduced price tag after mass transit part of the bridge was scrapped.  WTF?  Does it really cost $6 billion to build a new relatively short bridge?  No wonder our infrastructure is crumbling when it costs the GDP of an African country to build one fucking bridge.

A big part of it is you're dealing with some of the most expensive real estate in the world over there...

[jimmy olsen]

I just read that the Tappan Zee replacement bridge in New York will cost $6 billion, and that was a much reduced price tag after mass transit part of the bridge was scrapped.  WTF?  Does it really cost $6 billion to build a new relatively short bridge?  No wonder our infrastructure is crumbling when it costs the GDP of an African country to build one fucking bridge.

A big part of it is you're dealing with some of the most expensive real estate in the world over there...

The Tappan Zee bridge isn't in the city or anywhere close to it.

[garbon]

I just read that the Tappan Zee replacement bridge in New York will cost $6 billion, and that was a much reduced price tag after mass transit part of the bridge was scrapped.  WTF?  Does it really cost $6 billion to build a new relatively short bridge?  No wonder our infrastructure is crumbling when it costs the GDP of an African country to build one fucking bridge.

A big part of it is you're dealing with some of the most expensive real estate in the world over there...

The Tappan Zee bridge isn't in the city or anywhere close to it.

The Tappan Zee bridge location was chosen to be as close to the city as possible but beyond the control of the Port Authority.

[jimmy olsen]

[Zanza]

Britain privatized their passenger rail.

I'd be interested if anyone has any stats on European or Japanese passenger rail subsidies.  I've never thought about it either way.

Germany still subsidizes its national railway company with something like 10 billion Euro per year. The company is actually profitable and uses the money it makes to buy foreign subsidiaries, e.g. Arriva in England, and logistics providers, e.g. Schenker in Germany. The railway company was also protected by regulations. I think there still is a law that bans to operate regular busses on long-distance routes that are also operated by the railway.

[MadImmortalMan]

If it's profitable why is it subsidized?

[DGuller]

If it's profitable why is it subsidized?

Positive externalities exist whether the railway is profitable or not.  In the ideal world, subsidy levels should actually be completely independent of the profitability, I would think.