High-speed rail
Toward a Positive Argument for High-Speed Rail
In recent weeks, I've been busily making what you might call a negative argument for high-speed rail -- pointing out the many ways in which arguments against HSR are deficient. That's all well and good, but positive cases for HSR need to be made, as well.
August 28, 2009
The Washington Post Features Rail Hack Job
This is the big problem with Ed Glaeser's New York Times posts purporting to analyze the costs and benefits of a high speed rail system.
August 24, 2009
Jindal’s Not Alone: Guvs Who Shunned Stimulus Warm to High-Speed Rail
Think Progress took note yesterday of a change of heart from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who blasted the economic stimulus law for its $8 billion in "wasteful spending" on high-speed rail -- only to later seek $300 million of that money for a rail link between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
August 20, 2009
Glaeser Goes Out With a Whimper
For those just tuning in, economist Ed Glaeser has been writing a four-part series on the potential costs and benefits of high-speed rail at the New York Times' Economix blog. He began three weeks ago with an introduction. The following week he addressed direct costs and benefits from a hypothetical line, and last week he attempted to gauge the environmental benefits of high-speed rail construction.
August 19, 2009
The Times’ Thickheaded Train Tag Team
The New York Times has now turned loose writers at two of its economics blogs to make weak arguments against the construction of high-speed rail lines.
August 14, 2009
Midwest High-Speed Rail Group Starts Lobby Push for House’s $4B Bill
Congress agrees that the White House's ambitious high-speed rail plan should be funded next year -- but the House is pushing for $2.8 billion more than the Senate, setting up a high-stakes battle that rail advocates want the House to win.
August 13, 2009
Ed Glaeser’s Rail Fail
The story so far: Ed Glaeser recently began an effort to assess the costs and benefits of constructing high-speed rail lines at the New York Times' Economix blog. Last week, he posted his first substantive take on the issue, an attempt to estimate direct costs and benefits from a hypothetical line between Houston and Dallas.
August 12, 2009
Glaeser Takes an Unserious Look at High-Speed Rail
Ed Glaeser is a very good economist, and his papers are indispensable reading for those interested in the workings of urban areas. But he is also a strident conservative, whose popular writings frequently challenge conventional progressive wisdom (and my own views).
August 5, 2009
What Happens Once You Get Off the Train?
Economist Tyler Cowen responds to my recent take on Ed Glaeser's recent HSR column:
July 8, 2009
Missing the Point on High-Speed Rail
Ed Glaeser is a fantastic economist. He has done magnificent work analyzing the economics of urban growth and written indispensable papers on the connection between housing regulations and migration.
July 6, 2009