• Moving freight is five times more efficient using a train rather than a tractor trailer.
• Four miles of new railroad line can be built for the price of one mile of road.
• Electrically powered trains can use domestic fuel sources. A century ago, York had an extensive electric trolley/inter-urban system. York's street railway is a dream of tomorrow. (greenmesh 8/06)

Innovative minds looking for new revenue streams killed the railroads.

Consider all the jobs, wealth and competition that was created by our car centered, personal transport society. Cars, dealerships, parts, the insurance industry. Thousands of truck drivers, shipping companies and owner operators traversing the roads using diesel and services. All of this a major feed for the oil industry.

And it all worked as long as oil was cheap.

The once cheap oil that brought us a uniquely American car centered transportation culture is now strangling our economy and future success competing in a world market.

Pennsylvania is fortunate to have many short-line rail corridors still intact like the one along the Heritage Rail Trail and the Stewartstown Railroad waiting for innovative minds and clean technology to move large volumes of freight and people more efficiently.

Posted in All posts from the start Diesel Electric MPG Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation video

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The Pennsylvania Turnpike is part of my American heritage. Rolling into a toll booth, I look at it as the gateway to a national treasure of transportation history.

I have a vested interest in supporting and preserving it, whether that just means not throwing trash at it or becoming actively involved when it's threatened.

When I am empowered, I go the extra mile to care about things and look to preserve this treasure and practical function of this roadway for future generations.

It's public, non-profit status gives me a say in it's future and ensures that my toll is actually going to the generational preservation and enjoyment of it. Not to financing a capital investment group; someone else's dream or worse a shady future deal that I am inadvertently supporting with my toll.

When an investment group is pushing very hard to enguage me in a public debate they view it as a sales pitch, but the true beauty of this moment is that I still have control of the power to guide the turnpike's destiny.

Although I love free enterprise and the America dream of the freedom to grow a small business, the flow of money tends to flow faster in the direction of the most money.

Big business is rarely interested in the good of the whole, for this we have a democracy.

Posted in All posts from the start Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation

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Interesting opinion article in the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Hidden costs will make Turnpike deal a bad one
Summary:

• Huge unseen financial incentives pull from the tax base during the deal


• Costs associated with ensuring the contract gets inforced


• With tax subsidies greatest in the first 15 years, the profit window will rapidly close, leaving the company with aging and expensive infrastructure and large debt remaining for the rest of a century.


• This deal was negotiated in secret without public input and information. Pennsylvanians had less than a month to read and digest a 686-page contract and attempt to predict and value how its thousands of conditions might affect the commonwealth through 2084

Posted in All posts from the start Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation

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I was walking around my village today and a couple neighbors were responding to my blog entry Why can't "WE" keep making a profit on the turnpike? (6/25)

One neighbor was blaming Gov. Ed Randell for siphoning the money off to Philadelphia under the current set-up. I drop off the mail for another neighbor who often is listening to Gary Sutton. She just plain asked my opinion on the merits. I have yet to hear anyone, except the governor, say they think it's a really good idea, "it's slam-dunk" he said.

I believe the heart of the matter is a difference in perspective that has widened between the ever increasing transience of business and what the great population hopes government's long-term commitment is to them.

When you privatize a public entity ownership is moved from government to the interest of a group of investors. Government is you and me because we elect and reject those who represent us.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was created in 1937 to build, finance, operate and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The commission is comprised of five members. Four members are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania. So ultimately the turnpike management is an arm of government, made of people we elect and reject.

Barcelona-based Abertis Infraestructuras, Abertis investor Criteria CaixaCorp of Spain and Citi Infrastructure Investors offered $12.8 billion to lease the turnpike. (AP) I will not be on a seat of the board of directors of a company in Spain or the equally nebulous Citi Infrastructure Investors group. What is my recourse if i had a concern about the business of the turnpike or what my tolls are financing.

Meanwhile, up north 80 percent Interstate 80 needs resurfacing to replace more than half of its pavement, which was applied between 1958 and 1970. Officials proposed replacing 60 bridges within the first 10 years. Sixteen of the interstate's bridges are structurally deficient and 13 are in worse condition, which the turnpike described as "fracture critical." pittsburghlive.com

The scramble is on to get tolls on I-80 because PennDOT cannot fund a complete rebuild. Any bids on I-80? Going once, going twice... hello, any takers? Mmmm, must not be such a good deal.

From personal experience over the past 28 years of driving on it, The Pennsylvania Turnpike have been a very well maintained road in road surface and snow removal. It

The turnpike is currently a non-profit meaning they have to put the revenue from tolls into the road.

Posted in All posts from the start Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation

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It's hard to imagine all the energy, fossil and human, that are spent on campaigning. You have the vehicles (and planes) that drive them around, their support vehicles and the local support vehicles that support the support vehicles, the vehicles that drive the support people and all the people who drive to see the candidates. And of course the media (me), who follow along for the ride driving our own vehicles.

One could argue that all these humans would be burning up fuel doing something else during a campaign stop and that campaign funds generated by voters actually pour back into communities for support services.

(AP Photo)
The Obama campaign used a vintage 1930's Georgia lounge train car today for a sweep up the Amtrak line from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. Not that it saved a whole lot of energy today, but it was an interesting highlight of public transportation that once was a standard for moving candidates.

Consider all the support people, security people, reporters and photographers that were swiftly moved to multiple locations, using an electric vehicle not fueled by oil along a route not challenged by cars. And as an added bonus, one large group arrives at the same time and needs no parking.

President Harry S. Truman speaking from a train on the campaign trail in 1948 (Harry S. Truman Library and Museum)

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The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday that marine and locomotive engines must meet tougher pollution controls, hoping for dramatic cuts in the amount of smog-causing chemicals and soot coming from trains, cargo ships, tugboats and passenger ferries.

A study by Environmental Defense two years ago found that ships at three of the nation's largest ports — Los Angeles, Houston and New York-New Jersey — together produced as much smog causing chemicals as 1 million cars. The group also found the nation's locomotives produced fine soot, or particulate, equal to 70 coal burning power plants and as much smog causing nitrogen oxide as 120 coal plants. (AP)

Posted in All posts from the start Diesel Environment Public Transportation

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Martin Library will host an environmental panel discussion on February 21 featuring:

I was interviewed, via keybord of course, since I will be one of the moderators. Below is the text of the interview:

5. In your opinion, how does the level of environmental awareness in York County compare to that of other similar-sized communities?

York is a land of plenty. We have enjoyed low population congestion and are blessed with resources. California is tuned into air pollution because congestion and climate patterns demanded action. The desert southwest is tuned into water supply because of the lack of it. Other than the Codorus Creek, a stray landfill and an occasional bad ozone day, York County generally has not been confronted in the face with major environmental issues. High oil prices, wars and global cries that we need to act have brought these concerns home to York.

6. What do you believe the typical Yorker can do to improve the environment?

Use less to do more. Nothing will lower pollution, lower oil prices, and stretch resources more than choosing to use less through product choice and lifestyle. This concept runs contrary to our financial model that, up until now, has promoted and thrived on people using more energy.

7. As editor of Greenmesh.com, what do you see as the most promising alternative to oil-based energy?

Experimenting with many alternatives is the best was to transition away from an oil based economy. It takes time to understand the repercussions of any form of energy production. Solar collection is the lowest impacting source of alternative energy, but in places like Pennsylvania, solar isn’t practical most of the time. We have already experienced the implications of diving head first into corn-based ethanol by higher food and feed prices.

All methods of energy production have environmental implications and placing all our eggs in one basket gives power to a new monopoly and will accentuate any negative effects of pushing a single solution of energy production....

Posted in All posts from the start Biodiesel Electric Environment Ethanol Human Power Hybrid Hydrogen Innovation Motorcycles Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation Solar Water Power Wind Power

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Here is a U.S. innovation that combines mass transit, small displacement engines and beer. It's the Cruzin Cooler!

A 33cc 2 cycle Motor can go up to 15mph. The electric version has a range of 15 miles. Cargo capacity 24-12oz cans with 8# ice. cruzincooler.com

Posted in All posts from the start Innovation Public Transportation

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You really can't fault someone from Baltimore for seeking a better quality of life by buying a house here in York and commuting to Baltimore. Real estate prices, taxes and a high cost for life that come with high population densities in urban areas like Baltimore has pushed people into their cars and up Interstate 83.

Unfortunately, this consumes a massive amount of gasoline, clogs roads and creates bedroom communities that rob both Baltimore, York and in the end the commuter of a fully functioning life as they seek to survive in an never ending spiral of costs.

Once in a land long, long ago. cities like York were built up around factories. People walked to work, or took electric trolleys. They went to churches, pubs and stores in their community and were able to invest the time spent commuting into their children and neighborhoods. When your whole life is your community, you have an intense interest in preserving it's whole.

Baltimore City will contribute $1,000 per employee, which will be matched by over 85 participating employers. Employees will be required to contribute a minimum of $1,000 cash toward the purchase of their home. It's the idea of getting people back to living where they work.

livebaltimore.com/hb/inc/lnyw/

Posted in All posts from the start Public Transportation Tax incentives

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I was listening to President Bush talk at a rotary luncheon this week and he brought up a time-of-day highway access charge. He cited raising fuel economy standards would cause less tax revenue at the pump.

There is this impending fear in government that increased fuel economy will reduce consumption based tax dollars, so new revenue streams are needed to build highways.

I find this difficult to comprehend as an impending issue when efficiency standards are years away and the current U.S. budget debt as of today is $9,148,076,623,766.32 more than the balanced budget of eleven years ago. To put it in perspective, it's like each citizen of the U.S. owes $30,000.

Raising fuel economy standards in itself grates against a spend and grow model of economic growth. "Economic growth" doesn't always translate into a sustainable quality of life for the masses in the future.

It is more likely that the petroleum market will burn itself out with high fuel prices triggering a self imposed fuel efficiency standard by consumers. People might be inspired to take public transportation, or maybe just walk; resulting in fewer highway dollars needed and more demand for public transportation.

Posted in All posts from the start Environment Oil Machine/politics Public Transportation

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