No trains for the badger state

As a native Chicagoan, I thank my lucky stars that Democrat, Pat Quinn was not voted out of the governor’s mansion on November 2^nd. As it turns out (according to Andrew Schenkel and Earth Matters, Republican governors are starting to balk at the idea the stimulus money provided by the federal government for the development of railway infrastructure should have to be put to its designated use.

Wisconsin is the example Schenkel gives from WBAY of a state whose governor-elect, Republican Scott Walker, claims that American people made it clear decades ago that they didn’t want to be bound by “fixed-track passenger rail.” Other Republican governors have apparently echoed his dismay that the money can’t simply be put into other projects of their choosing. States like Illinois would be happy to have that money, should Wisconsin decline to invest in trains. Quinn’s homepage even has a giant story about the state’s plans to link Iowa City to Chicago via Moline, Illinois by high-speed rail by 2013. Certainly, my sister in Iowa City (along with whoever lives down in Moline) will be thrilled by this news.

Unfortunately, I was completely disappointed to find that Schenkel’s post lacked any discussion regarding Walker’s claims. Refute, Schenkel! Isn’t that the point of working outside of a traditional news organization? On what basis are we to believe that Americans don’t want to have the option of taking trains? During the 2.5 years that I lived (car-less) in France and Belgium, I personally visited innumerable small towns in Western Europe cheaply and fairly efficiently by train. I also got to work and everywhere else I needed to go by train, as I did in Chicago and as I do in Boston. In places where public transportation – be it urban transit, commuter rail, or longer distance transportation – is an option and is not more expensive than flying (ahem, Amtrak), it seems to be quite popular. I wanted Schenkel to point this out and provide some links to prove it.

Needing a car is what causes people to prefer cars. Give them a viable alternative and find out how they really feel. Europe knows what I'm talkin' about...