Italy unveils new 'Ferrari' high-speed trains

Exactly 50 years ago one of the most exciting aspects of my first trip to Italy was taking the Rapido--an almost supersonic (it seemed) train from Roma to Firenze. It was like comparing a space ship to the New Haven Railroad which still putters along as Metronorth. So although I do not normally think of Italy as technological innovators (unless it is with reference to incredible fashion and other trendy designs)I am not surprised to hear about this train. Yes I know, Ferrari, Fiat, Lamborghini, Maserati, but I am talking about technology in which the masses can participate.

Sounds terrific.

But given a choice, I'd rather -- like Mr. P -- spend some time on a farm than on a Ferrari-like, rush-rush train.

Sometimes, slowing down in this train-wreck world gets me where I really want to be faster than fast-tracking it does.

my favorite...Alfa Romeo.
 I wish, 20 years ago, voters had opted for train service over the Santa Cruz Mountains, but no, not then and not again ten years later. Now the costs are so astronomical I doubt it will happen...connecting us to Amtrak and Bay Area Rapid Transit  ....too bad.

Oh, about 26 years ago I was doing an art pilgrimmage through Western Europe with a friend. We'd been in Paris for a few weeks (the Lock Museum, days at the Cluny, screamed at for being American by a guy on a box outside of Pompedou center, the nice guy who intervened and then asked me to his place in Nice for the weekend). We hopped a late train to Florence, had our little sleeper area to ourselves. In the middle of the night we hit Swizerland, I was sleeping the boneless and stubborn sleep of the blameless young. The border guards were put off by my slowness and examined my papers for roughly 15 minutes... evidently one felt that my light brown eyes might be hazel. They considered tossing me off of the train and then out of their country. Two carriages down there was someone from a suspect country so they let me alone at that point and he was dragged away in handcuffs. Careful country, Swizerland. Later we hit the Italian border, the sun was up by then. A single comfortably soft looking man in a white shirt and a hat that was pushed back came into our carriage and sat down. We talked about the weather in Italian for a few minutes, each held up our passports so that he could see the blue covers and he left. I liked the slow pace of Italy, even though they made fast cars. The border guards were an indication that we had passed from one culture to another and gave clues about those cultures. It was like the signs under the windows in English- don't lean out of the window, in French- the window isn't for the leaning out of, in German- it is forbidden to lean out of the window and in Italian- it is dangerous to lean out of windows. That was all I ever needed to know about traveling through England, France, Germany and Italy on that trip. That and that older European men will tell you if they like the way you wear your hair.

America once had premium long distance passenger rail service.  The the auto industry and oil industry, under the guise of nationsl defense,"  dropped subsidies to railroads,  and  instead the interstate highway system was put into place.  Europe and Asia put us to shame.  Earllier this week extra Federal funding meant the final leg of Cincinnati's new streetcar system will be possible,  in the face of strong local opposition.  I remember what a gem San Francisco's cable cars are as an international tourist  attraction,  and a way to eliminate taxi cab and single car glut.  When the project's ribbon cutting is done in several years,  I may tske my time for lunch riding around the riverfront to downtown loop.  There are even plans for musicians to entertain the passengers,  minus the panhandling.  Businesses along the route are energized because this recession-buster  may revitalize downtown.....

America once had premium long distance passenger rail service.  The the auto industry and oil industry, under the guise of nationsl defense,"  dropped subsidies to railroads,  and  instead the interstate highway system was put into place.  Europe and Asia put us to shame.  Earllier this week extra Federal funding meant the final leg of Cincinnati's new streetcar system will be possible,  in the face of strong local opposition.  I remember what a gem San Francisco's cable cars are as an international tourist  attraction,  and a way to eliminate taxi cab and single car glut.  When the project's ribbon cutting is done in several years,  I may tske my time for lunch riding around the riverfront to downtown loop.  There are even plans for musicians to entertain the passengers,  minus the panhandling.  Businesses along the route are energized because this recession-buster  may revitalize downtown.....

Rats.  I  did  it  AGAIN.  lol

Good morning Bert, Good morning Bert. Are you really getting married? They do say second time around is a triumph of optimism over experience. Me twice bitten thrice shy.
That train sure beats the over priced cattle trucks that Bristish Rail pass off as Inter-City Service.

kshuck~ I have an old sign taken from a derelict railway carriage that reads "Please do not spit" It's about the size of a piano key and sits on a little ledge of the woodwork of my old cottage.

Last year, my wife and I flew to Madrid and took the high speed train to Gibraltar.  With the scenery going by at 125 mph, it was a nice trip.  I used to take the train between New York City and Michigan when I was in college, and the trip was slower but not unpleasant.  Amtrak has new cars that incorporate the worst of buses and the worst of airplanes and none of  comforts of the older trains.  Lousy seats, bad restrooms, little room.  And the worst food I have ever seen with surly, vile service.  It is little wonder no one wants to take the train.  Oh, and I have yet to be on Amtrak and have the train on time; the delay is frequently measured in hours.  There is no quality and no pride of service.  The trains in Europe are frequently not cheap (price the train from London to Paris via the tunnel, for example), but you are not fed plastic food and the seat is comfortable.  And now the Interstate system is in danger of crumbling (the bridges need replacing for starters).  Thank you, Big Oil, for screwing us again.  Tea Party folk, think twice about sustaining the billionaires.  They do not have your best interests at heart.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has a net worth estimated at $400 million. Diego Della Valle according to Forbes has a net worth of $1.3 Billion. These billionaires are shareholders in the new train from Mr. P's article that evokes luxury and technology. Amtrak ended fiscal year 2010 setting records in both revenue and ridership. As a result, its operating loss of $437.5 million was $125.5 million or 22 percent less than budgeted and they are doing high fives. Regarding Interstate improvements, The Dept of Transportation states that "The best estimate is that states have spent about $5 million of the $28 billion spent on road projects on signs" that tell us how much is being spent on road improvement. North Dakota has a low 3.5 percent unemployment rate and a state budget with a billion dollar surplus. That's because of a major oil boom in the western part of the state, a discovery of at least 2 billion barrels to be gained by fracking.
 

kshuck....I just loved your train story. The messages on the signs --fantastic. And profound. Gonna have me smiling all day. I was lucky enough to travel around Europe with a Eurail pass and I was constantly amused by the extreme differences one experienced country to country without leaving one's seat.

It is interesting to note that discussions of the failure or shrinking of passenger rail service all center around the elimination of federal subsidies.
Subsidies being, if I have this right, tax dollars paid by persons, some of whom have neither the time nor the resources to travel, used to make it cheaper for those who do.
Why was and is that necessary and was it or it  fair?
Another question worth considering is what is the state or fate of European economies in which subsidized rail has appeared to flourish.
If something immensely expensive to maintain and operate is not self-sustaining, how good an idea is it?
I rode the train a lot after my family moved away coming back on Friday evening to sleep on my brother's couch and spend time with the Beauty.
Two dollars and thirty-seven cents round trip if I took the milk train back.
Only the first time, did my dad crab all the way home from the station at  4:00 AM.
After that, he would simply ask: "How was your sweetie?"
I would answer: "Practically perfect."
We took the train, after 9/11, from Chicago's Union Station to New York City's Penn station.
The cost, at that time, was roughly three and a half times that of air travel and it took twelve times as long: twenty-four hours compared to two.
The train left on time in the evening, the seats were wide with pull-out footrests and the overhead luggage space was more than generous.
The amenities with respect to eating and drinking were not grand and were, in fact, just tolerable but the service personnel were efficient, knowledgeable and friendly.
Train lovers were easy to recognize and more fun to visit with than were those passengers who were only there because they were afraid to fly.
To be clear, what seems to have more or less doomed passenger rail is the influence of the petroleum, automobile and other big businesses to divert other people's tax dollars, without which rail could not exist, to the improvement and maintenance of public highways.
Those bastards! Oh, yeah and the four year old Tea Party too. 

I need to borrow a child all wrapped up in woolly scarf, hat and mittens. The Santa Train is running on our local narrow guage railway - built to carry slates from the mountains to the sea- the most lovely views, especially just now as the mountains have snow on them.

Off this topic but on just about every other one.
If you don't tear up a little at 2:10, you're tougher than I am.

http://youtu.be/SAIEamakLoY

Stoney- great points. A similar argument here when stadiums/arenas with Skyboxes were built in lieu of more "not so cheap- cheap seats". Anyway a tax increase on water/sewers so folks that could afford to go to a game were taxed. There is the case for business increase (hotels restaurants etc) serving the community at large but the case was not a strong or fair one. Meanwhile a private train to outlying areas for commuters and dinner rides seems to be doing okay. What works or doesn't work is a matter of economic sense and practicality not political ideology. I would love to have a presidential debate where business leaders asked the questions instead of reporters with an agenda.

Correction- folks that "could not go"

Haze- Sir Topham Hat and Thomas would be proud. Not to mention The Polar Express Conductor. Speaking of Polar Express Tom Hanks had almost as many roles as the days of Christmas- hero conductor hobo Santa-

Tommy T ~
Right you are as usual old friend.
The cheapest seats for two for the Packers next home game are $174.00 and that does not include parking, beverages or snacks.
You are seated on bleachers at a height that makes watching the game roughly equal to sitting on the couch observing twenty-two tiny men play on a field the size of a TV Guide.
Funny isn't it that, as you said, private commuter lines and private freight lines can turn a profit but long haul passenger lines need public money.
Pay to get to the station or to park; pay for the train ride; pay to get around at your destination and travel a lot lighter than you would if you drove.
Wouldn't dedicated express bus lines be a lot cheaper?

Happy Saturday, all. The most egregious example is what GM, Chrysler and Ford did to the LA trolley system. Now we have gridlock from 6 am to 9 pm daily.

Express Buses on natural gas with wifi work stations and upscale vending. And I love the creative way that advertising space is sold on the sides. There are creative cool ways to do things.
*** For example we just covered our red walls with the new trendy color cork and for $31 the one coat paint really works!!!
*** That train is cool looking! Gotta admit

STONEY, "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din."
 
Though we expressed it in different ways, we said essentially the same thing:  We've the same complaints -- even those who don't,generally complain.  Telling, that.
 
As a young person I adored the romance that accompanies trains; the lonely sound of a far-off train whiustle cutting through the night transported me to an other world. And indeed I DID love everything about trains, once grown: Waiters withnfolded white towels over their arms; pots of hot tea , seemningly endless, brought from the kitchen.  Years passed, and I had the opportunity to ride from Washington to NYC on Amtrak. Talk about a parallel universe! What I had loved -- the romance, indeed, of travel; of trains -- had vanished, I supopose to Detroit and the Middle East.  In any case, that world was changed, gone, dark, lost....  (And forget friendly waiters and their white towels.)

Yay! Arranged to borrow 2 children tomorrow, aged 5 & 7. Perfect for going to see Santa on the little train. Parents delighted at the prospect of a few child free hours. Me so excited!!! They have real reindeer (venison) and Santa is a portly local gent who has real white hair, white mostache and beard and is geat at greeting the children and handing out colour coded gifts. PARTY! There will be chestnuts roasting, carols playing on the PA, a lovely chistmas tree, hot chocolate ..... and tired children asleep on my shoulders as the little train trundles home.

1952's The Story of Will Rodgers played by his own son Will, Jr. now playing on TCM. My admiration for him and his lessons to me- Be yourself. Keep it simple.- still ring true. Also any movie with Slim Pickens is alright by me.

Haze- Ah yes, you just described a Christmas image I shan't forget since I played Bob Cratchit. I love me Dickens.

Hazel----Not to rain on your parade, but please don't really expect the kids to be asleep on your shoulder homeward bound.   You will be much more exhausted than they and they will be wound up with the countdown to Christmas just a week away!!!!  However, you WILL have fun, no doubt!   And bless you for giving the parents time for shopping/wrapping...........

Will report tomorrow on if the kids fell asleep. There's something soothing about the clackety-clack of a railway track.
Tommy T~ We will be sick of Dickens shortly, 200th anniversary looming. It does put a smile on my face to do Bob Cratchit stuff.
It's duvet time in snowy Wales, so nos da dear people x
 

Earlier I meant Will Rogers must have had Jimmie Rodgers on my mind. And if you get tired of Charles Dickens, Haze there's always Little Jimmy Dickens singing May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.

Yes, Stoney, the girl getting to hear herself for the first time is very sweet and kleenex-inducing!! Thanks for putting that 2011 zip review up there.

Hazel - Please let us know how the rent-a-moppet thing worked out. Those are pretty nice ages for enjoying other people's children...The parents will forever be in your debt.....!

No high speed trains here in the N. Ga hills, but on a still night when the windows are open or I step out on the deck, I can hear the train that goes through Cartersville (about 5 miles north of here) when it blows the whistle at the 411 crossing of hwy. 140.... Rode the Silver Meteor in Fla. in the '50's from Gainesville to Ft. Lauderdale alone....times were different then and a 10 yr. old girl was safer.....at least I never had any episodes of being scared. My aunt was there to meet me when the train pulled in. (Wonder if my mom was just getting rid of me for a few weeks??)

Have ridden the Blue Ridge train to McCaysville, the narrow gauge from Durango to Silverton, and the EuroTrain from Amsterdam to Den Hague. I like trains....doubt we will ever have a high speed train in GA., but never say never.

They're predicting high speed rains here monday

What seems to have happened when we weren't looking, probably owing to low seat sales, is that we have gone from travel, wherein gracious amenities and comfort made getting there maybe the best part of a trip, to transportation: just being moved from one place to another for money… quite a lot of it.

You know, life goes by fast enough as it is, why opt for a speedier rush to the inevitable. I firmly believe in savoring each moment given me and great speed has never been a priority.