Epi
Active Member
I wonder how much more fuel efficient HSR really is compared to short-haul flight. It would take many a joule to clear and grade a 500-600km ROW between Toronto & Montreal. Dash 8s are fairly fuel efficient and require relatively little supporting infrastructure (vs. HSR...), so the difference might not be so high. I would imagine it would fall down to ridership. Air travel is pretty scalable (not many passengers, reduce flights...) whereas HSR's environmental impacts are almost entirely fixed (build tracks, buy rolling stock, replace every decade).
Clearly you have missed the point of HSR. If Ontario/Quebec actually built the thing, then how would they complain about the Feds? HSR's political value rests in 'announcing' it every time someone new is elected, then complaining the feds don't support "the people of the glorious nation of Quebec" or Ontario, then repeating.
Rail is vastly more efficient than air travel as it is more efficient than car travel as well.
Here's a great article on HSR in Canada that was in June's Walrus:
http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2009.06--off-the-rails/