What will Diesel Cost in 2021?
That is a question the proponents of the fake vintage bus trolleys need to know the answer to. A bus is a 12 year investment. If one of these trolleys is purchased today, it will last through two terms of President Obama, a term of President Biden, and still be rolling around for the inauguration of President Palin in 2021. That is of course, unless the “pilot bus trolley program” costing $14 million is abandoned after two years.
In 1999, diesel was around $0.99 a gallon. In 2007, it almost $5. What will diesel prices be in 2021? I have no idea—and neither do the fake vintage bus trolley proponents.
In 2021 we will still have an electric grid, but I don’t know what will power it. Electric streetcars can be powered by whatever fuels we discover, or whatever new technologies we create. They can run off of wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, tidal, nuclear, or coal power. In a time of transition for our energy supplies, streetcars, with their flexible sources of power, represent a smart investment for the uncertain future.
Image from: www.starlinetours.com
January 21, 2009 at 9:45 am
I don’t see a vintage trolley lasting through the 4 whole years Obama spends as president struggling with the realities of the world, but thats me, hey maybe they are onto something but you don’t hear of other cities bragging on their vintage trolleys. And even when it was freezing in December, I didn’t see packed trolleys running around downtown.
January 21, 2009 at 9:51 am
Hey if its such a great idea and can be done with private funds, why doesn’t Winburn just do it and give us some skoolin? Nothing like some good old fashion competition right?
And he said it would be a trial run?
Thats like handing someone a bike as a trial run to giving them a car. Two different things
January 22, 2009 at 5:18 am
Cincinnati has been going downhill for years and it is because of the people in the city itself. You have to belong to the local knife and gun club just to walk down some of the streets. Most of the people who could afford to move from Cincinnati proper did so and most of the others who could afford to move were rich and stupid. No matter how much money they toss at the schools it never makes a difference. The taxes are terrible and the street car idea is worse.
To compound this issue Hamilton County is also a looser of citizens to other areas and for good reason. The sheriff has access to a pot full of money (millions) but he saves it to buy teddy bears for sick and abused kids and to keep his fleet of river boats and aerial toys running all the while asking for more $$$ and when he does not get his way he tosses a tantrum and closes one of the jails. That old man needs to retire and let some new blood rise to the occasion.
I agree that if it is done with private funds and fees are charged for its usage then it just might work but we need to keep the city and county out of it. Everything they get involved in ends up a disaster. When I say private funds I mean just that. Not like the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center that was supposed to be self supporting and now gets money from the locals and the state. That is the most insane idea that anyone in Cincinnati has had for a long time. Build a limited interest item and then cry for more $$$ when failure is right around the corner. Cincinnati and Hamilton County needs to learn from there mistakes not make more of them.
January 22, 2009 at 1:56 pm
^I walk downtown and OTR daily, with my little kids. What is this gun and knife club you are talking about?
And I think I’m missing the connection between Simon Leis and the Streetcar.
BTW, my kids attend CPS and are getting a top notch education.
January 22, 2009 at 2:00 pm
with all that money the Sheriff spent on “teddy bears for sick and abused kids” he probably could have kept the Queensgate jail open for another 3 minutes.
January 22, 2009 at 5:01 pm
((BTW, my kids attend CPS and are getting a top notch education))
It might be a good idea to stop taking the happy pills you are on. Your children are suffering because of it. There are only a few CPS schools that excel the rest are in the dumper. Look at the statistics for yourself. See where the CPS is located on the chart then talk about how great a education they are getting. All CPS talks about is needing more $$$ without producing results.
(And I think I’m missing the connection between Simon Leis and the Streetcar.)
You did not miss anything. It is all about a limited amount of money and how it should be spent. The city and Hamilton County are connected at the hip as far as money goes. If the street car happens it will only service a very limited amount of people for a very limited area. What the entire area needs is a track base transit system that covers the tristate area. This system will have central hubs located in various areas allowing for the movement of many people at minimal cost. This needs to be a much wider based system. If Cincinnati does the street car it will jeopardize the rest of the areas.
((with all that money the Sheriff spent on “teddy bears for sick and abused kids” he probably could have kept the Queensgate jail open for another 3 minutes.))
You are the type of person who cannot read the entire paragraph. You probably went to CPS as a child and that is where your reading skills started to failed. With the money he has socked away for a rainy day he could have kept the jail open for a much longer time. Hamilton County traded the security of its citizens for boat and helicopter rides for the deputy’s and teddy bears for the kids. Lets face it you do not need enforcement tools if you have no where to put the criminals.
January 22, 2009 at 6:37 pm
“What the entire area needs is a track base transit system that covers the tristate area. This system will have central hubs located in various areas allowing for the movement of many people at minimal cost. This needs to be a much wider based system. If Cincinnati does the street car it will jeopardize the rest of the areas.”
What are you talking about ?
What’s the entire area ?
January 23, 2009 at 11:38 am
hvac;
I don’t want to discuss the school system here, but let me say this. My kids are getting a much higher level of education at CPS than I did as a child at parochial schools. I speak from personal experience.
Back on track:
Streetcars integrate well with other separated grade rail systems in other cities. If Cincinati wants to expand the network, it should work well. Streetcars are the cheapest rail option but they also are the best option for supporting neighborhood street-level retail growth.