gildone

What these articles fail to mention is that Saudi Arabia has barely been maintaining production levels by selling more and more heavy oils which most of our refineries can't process. Refined gasoline imports have risen as a result. Also, consider the statement that when oil prices were low, there was no incentive to expand refinery capacity, now they are behind in adding capacity. It didn't take long for prices to rise as the supply and demand curves got closer and closer together. This just shows that "the market" is not effective at responding in time to some long term, systemic resouce issues. "The Market" doesn't begin to respond until such problems become manifest and prices have already changed.

Bloomberg Green Plan Needs 'Enormous' Study-NY Gov ALBANY, New York - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said on Monday Mayor Michael Bloomberg's new green plan, which includes US$50 billion of spending on mass transit to help carry the city into 2030, requires "enormous analysis." Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Earth Day unveiled 127 proposals, including road congestion pricing, which swiftly drew intense opposition from some legislators and city councilors... Story Date: 24/4/2007 Original link gone, article archived here: http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/41533/story.htm

There was an op-ed about this in the PD just 2 or 3 years ago. For the cost of a maglev line like that, we could build the entire Ohio Hub and maybe then some.

I know it's not popular, but we have to start charging the true cost of driving to motorists. As a motorist myself who has no choice but to drive to my workplace, if Ohio wanted to turn all of Ohio's interstates into toll roads, I would accept it. Driving is way over-subsidized. It's sad that so many Americans think we should be able to get something for nothing. We like to boast that we have the lowest tax burden of any industrialized nation, but it's coming at the cost of crumbling infrastructure and huge public debt. We all need to grow up and face reality. If we want to live in a first-rate nation, we have to pay for it. When it comes to overall infrastructure quality in the US and the quality of our passenger transportation system, we have become a second-rate nation. If it's up to the New York legislature, it may just get through. Talk to "up-staters" almost anywhere in New York, and they hate the fact that most of their tax money ends up getting spent "down state", or at least that's their perception. They'll probably like the idea of down-staters having to pay more of their fair share.

The peak oil crisis: Have the t roubles begu n? By Tom Whipple In recent years, numerous books have been written about life after world oil production peaks. Most depict radical change, as oil-powered transportation, suburban living, and large-scale food production and distribution wither. The truth is nobody really has a good idea about what is going to happen. The world has never been to peak oil before. There are many complicating factors -- rates of oil depletion and production, the state of the world’s economy, and the gap between rich and poor nations to name a few. Making a meaningful projection of what life will be like five, ten, or 20 years from now is, as usual, fraught with uncertainties. Article archived at : http://www.energybulletin.net/newswire.php?id=28811 Original article : http://www.fcnp.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1154&Itemid=33

Got this from Noozer earlier today: NEWS OHIO RAIL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 50 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 (614) 644-0306 telephone or fax (614) 728-4520 http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: April 20, 2007 CONTACT: Stu Nicholson 614-644-0513 MIDWEST REGIONAL RAIL ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT RELEASED Enhanced passenger rail service could generate $23.1 billion benefit in Midwest Ohio would see $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion in user benefits Fast, frequent passenger rail service can translate into substantial economic benefits to users, communities and states served by it according to a new report issued by the nine states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin) participating in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative planning effort. Enhanced passenger rail service being planned under the proposed 3,000 mile Midwest Regional Rail System (MWRRS) could generate $23.1 billion in user benefits from time savings, congestion relief and emission reductions during the first 40-years of the project. For Ohio, the benefits total between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion, in addition to creating 3,520 new permanent jobs and generating $55 million in extra household income. “This report shows that investing in frequent and reliable passenger rail services pays significant returns beyond creating greater mobility for moving people and goods,” Ohio Rail Development Commission Acting Director Matt Dietrich said. “This report is also confirming the preliminary economic impact numbers we are seeing for our own Ohio Hub System, which would connect the MWRRS system with planned and existing rail systems on the East and Mid-Atlantic Coast.” Dietrich says details of the Ohio Hub Economic Impact Report should be ready in a few weeks for public release. The MWRRS Report notes that the investments in passenger rail provide a benefit-to-cost ratio of 1.8, which indicates that for each dollar spent on the system, one dollar and eighty cents is returned in benefits, one of the highest returns for any regional rail system in the U.S. The report also shows that development of the Midwest Regional Rail System would create 57,450 new jobs, provide just over $1 billion in extra household income across the nine-state region, and provide $4.9 billion in increased joint development potential for the 102 cities with MWRRS stations. The proposed MWRRS would consist of a 3,000-mile network with a hub in Chicago. The service would offer travelers the benefits of trains operating at up to 110-mph, providing travel times that are competitive with driving; increased trip frequencies; improved on-time performance; and new trains with modern amenities. One of those routes would also serve the Chicago-Toledo-Cleveland market, while a second would connect Cincinnati with Chicago. Several communities throughout the nine-state region are already making plans to expand their stations and provide multi-modal connections with buses, taxis, and other modes. These improvements encourage development of nearby properties. The resulting increase in property values is referred to as “joint development potential.” Joint development potential for MWRRS communities has been estimated at $4.9 billion. Increased MWRRS joint development potential in Ohio ranges from $238.9 million to $360.4 million. Estimates for Ohio communities include: Cincinnati $119 - $179 million Cleveland $74 – $111 million Toledo $35 - $53 million Elyria $5 - $8 million Sandusky $3 - $5 million Defiance $2.9 – 4.4 million Brochures summarizing the findings of this report are available from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation by calling 608 266-9498. The entire report is also available on the web at: http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/news/index.htm ### (The Ohio Rail Development Commission is an independent agency operating within the Ohio Department of Transportation. ORDC is responsible for economic development through the improvement and expansion of passenger and freight rail service, railroad grade crossing safety and rail travel & tourism issues. For more information about what ORDC does for Ohio, visit our website at http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail/)

ORDC needs to give a Hub presentation at that Youngstown Summit.

You can also take Amtrak to NYC. The eastbound train now arrives in Cleveland around 6:20 AM and has been mostly on time lately. The problem is, the westbound train gets in in the wee hours of the morning and the Amtrak station is poorly located. It doesn't sound like you can get to Cleveland that early on the bus, though. I think you can catch the train in Elyria, but the times would be worse. You probably can't get a to/from cab from Oberlin at those times anyway. I'm not being very helpful, am I?

If we really want people to drive less, we need to invest a heck of a lot more in alternatives. Unless transportation and land use policies change, we won't see a significant change in driving habits.

^'Light rail transit between the two cities'???? I hope this is just sloppy reporting and what they mean is an Ohio Hub corridor. Sounds like ORDC needs to call Ryan's office about the Ohio Hub?

I'm thinking the same thing. Last summer, at least where I live, retailers seemed to try for as long as they could to keep from posting over $2.999 for 87 octane. I remember, the price per barrel kept inching up, but the price stayed at $2.999 for a while. We briefly had prices over $3.00, but it didn't last long. Now,we're entering the summer driving season 11 cents higher than at this point last year.

. The EIA hasn't been known for accuracy the past few years.

A few weeks ago, Matthew Simmons was interviewed on MSNBC. He said he thought there might be a possibility of gasoline shortages this summer. Simmons has made a successful career for himself by knowing what's going on in the oil business. We'll see what happens, though. I have read that US inventories are down a bit, even after the seasonal adjustment for refinery maintenance is factored in.

^Not shouting down, but there are engineering hurdles to overcome with the concept. Not altogether impossible to deal with, but it requires careful considerationg. Noozer already raised some, a couple of others are: 1. curves can be too tight and and grades too steep for trains. 2. There's the issue of maintaining emergency cross-overs for the highways without having at-grade crossings.

Well, at least the are connecting the dots between gas prices and people's travel choices. Maybe they'll come around completely before long, especially if things get really ugly this summer if gas prices approach $4.00/gallon. It was in the 1990's that they made the statement about the drive to Cedar Point being part of the Cedar Point experience. As I recall, some high school students (for some sort of environmental project) devised a proposal (more of an intellectual exercise than a fully concrete plan) to bring people to Sandusky by trains. It was in response to their "proposal" that Cedar Fair said this. It may have been an article in the local paper up there. I just don't remember.

The last I heard, Cedar Point wasn't interested in a train because they felt that a family's drive to Cedar Point was part of the Cedar Point experience. This was several years ago, however.

^ That Bonner guy sounds like a real jerk.

Buried in this article is a statement from a Saudi bank saying that Saudi Arabian Oil production will be 8.44 mbd in 2007. What it doesn't mention is that production was 9.12 mbd in 2006. http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/04/01/10115135.html See post from Energy Bulletin.net: A top Saudi bank expects fall in oil production Reuters via Gulf News Original title: "Government spending to boost Saudi Arabia GDP" Riyadh: Economic growth in Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf Arab economy, could accelerate this year on the back of a projected rise in government spending, Riyadh Bank said in a research report. The kingdom's fifth largest bank by market value expects gross domestic product to grow 4.3 per cent in 2007 compared to 4.2 per cent in 2006. ...Saudi oil production is expected to fall from an average 9.12 million barrels per day in 2006 to 8.44 million bpd in 2007. "For 2007 ... we forecast oil prices to rise/fall by $3 per barrel," it said.

Mr. Dietrich did a nice job. I only hope that the legislature listens. Overall, rail hasn't been much of an interest to them.

See article below. I pass it along solely for the little detail buried in the 4th to last paragraph: Argentina is going to build an HSR line. We're just falling farther and farther behind. It's particularly sad to see us falling behind developing countries. Taiwan and Korea have built HSR. Vietnam, Mexico, China, and now Argentina are actively pursuing it! http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/03/news/train.php

The GAO report By Tom Whipple Last week the Government Accountability Office released its long-awaited report on peak oil. This report is clearly a milestone on our journey through the oil age for it is the first time the staff of a major government agency has looked at the issue and concluded that peak oil is real and, if it occurs soon, could cause a world-wide recession. Even more notable is that the Departments of Energy and Interior generally agreed with the conclusions... Original article : http://www.fcnp.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1088&Itemid=33 archived at : http://www.energybulletin.net/newswire.php?id=28280

Apparently they exist for Boeing's 'Dreamliner' and a car is a bit easier to hold together than an airplane. Also, Lovins has a concept car, so does GM. So, they must exist. Also, as with all concept cars at this development stage, they cost about $150,000. That's considerably less than an airplane, but yes, way out of reach of the mass market. However, I mentioned FiberForge's recent advancement with carbon fiber manufacturing and that they can turn a part out in one minute, rather than 30-60 minutes. This is a very recent development, and it will have a considerable effect on cost. Here's the link: http://www.fiberforge.com/PAGES/DETAIL_PAGES/fusemedia.html Eighth and State: Did you not read my first sentence? As I stated, Lovins says that alternatives to driving and better land use are more important than Hypercars. Earlier in this thread, or another one here (some weeks ago) I posted a link to an RMI paper about how Hypercars aren't the answer by themselves. Here it is again: Problems Hypercars Won't Solve: http://www.rmi.org/sitepages/pid407.php

^even Lovins maintains that hypercars aren't the sole solution and that alternatives to the automobile and better land use are more important. The price of carbon fiber is coming down. A company called FiberForge (spun-off by the Rocky Mountain Institute) has developed a process that can mold a carbon fiber part in one minute instead of the traditional 30 minutes. CF panels for cars can be molded, including a durable color coat in one step. Many auto companies have stamping plants that are located no where near where the vehicles are assembled, so there's transportation in-between. When you take this into account, CF is cost competitive, and likely cheaper than steel, according to Lovins. If Lovins is wrong, someone needs to show the data as to why.

^if gas taxes were at european levels here, we could eliminate all income taxes on the first $75,000 of income. Also, we need to tax waste, energy, and pollution, then we could also eliminate payroll taxes.

^well, I have yet to see anyone successfully argue with Amory Lovins. Few people seem to take him on beyond superficial arguments. It seems he always has the numbers to back up his arguments and then the debate seems to fizzle out. It would be nice to see, though, as it would add to the debate. One thing is true, however, we could become a lot more energy efficient and ultimately use a heck of a lot less energy without any harm to our standard of living or our economy. It would take many decades to accomplish, but it's doable.