We Pay Most for Mass Transit

Folks,

Here are some figures from The Standard, a Hong Kong business paper, on what
China is
paying to get Mag Lev Transport, with the help of the Germans, and compared with
some
figure for mass transit in Seattle. All figures in dollars...


Location Mode Cost per mile Cost per kilometer

USA
Monorail 1 billion 620 Million

Light rail 208 Million 129 million

China
Mag Lev 60 million 37.5 Million


As you can see, China is leapfrogging us, while we mess around with 1820's
technology, yet
we pay far more. The article stated the Chinese believe they could shave a
third off those
prices for mag lev, while in USA every few months they announce the cost will be
higher than
anticipated.

Of course the super-premium cost in USA is largely waste, fraud and abuse as was
made
clear when C C Meyers rebuilt the LA Freeways in 66 days back after the '94
Northridge
earthquake in LA, 34 days ahead of schedule and for a mere 30 million. IN this
case it was
achieved by having the gov't step aside.

In China,with the German
advisers... perhaps they are doing the same thing.

John

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