Alternative Energy Blues

https://youtu.be/0JDoll8OEFE This is the best and most succinct YouTube video that I've seen which points out the political motivations behind China's high speed rail development. Basically it makes no economic sense as a for profit enterprise.  But it make every bit of sense as a political operation to overwhelm both ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet and democracy leaning Han Chinese in Hong Kong. Like everywhere else, private enterprise won't build infrastructure in China because it's not profitable.  But with massive government subsidies to lower the cost of travel by rail and Beijing shouldering the debt from construction, then private companies are quite happy to apply themselves to high speed rail. By Wendover Productions

Can, and should, a Houston to Dallas high speed rail be built?  Absolutely! Can it be financed privately, entirely without funding or debt from the state of Texas?  Definitely! When will it happen? When he** freezes over! Infrastructure, like railroads or passenger mass transit, don't get built or maintained without massive government investment.  None of those above are independently profitable as businesses.  They require government paid contracts, subsidies, and direct investment. The Texas state legislature is in session until May 27, 2019.  It's hoped that pro-high speed rail laws will be passed. Hoped for by people other than me.  Previous state legislatures have specifically said no state money.  I doubt there will be any startup without both state and federal funds. The phrase from the Film Flam business is, "They give good meeting."  We've been waiting for decades for a high speed rail operation to start functioning in Texas. ...

Not too bad review of privatization versus nationalization of the United Kingdom railways from Financial Times. No clarification of the underfunding of railways prior to privatization. https://youtu.be/U6V-HDbX9A8

https://youtu.be/Qaf6baEu0_w A Decent Video About the Hurdles for High Speed Rail in the US A not too bad YouTube from CNBC about the hurdles to build high speed rail in the US.  They still mildly blame environmental rules, labor rules, and voters.  In essence they blame democracy for America's backwards railroad situation.  No mention of the backwards freight railroad corporations helping to hold down progress. At least they casually mentioned highway construction, auto, and airline industry lobbies as also ganging up against progress. https://youtu.be/Qaf6baEu0_w