Elevated argument - Hawaii News

Really wrote:

The BNSF Railway (reporting mark BNSF), formerly known as the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, is an American freight railroad company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas; it is one of four remaining transcontinental railroads, and one of the largest freight railroad networks, in North America. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway
The BNSF Railway Line is a commuter rail line in the United States, provided by Metra and operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway_Lin ...

And can YOU provide a link for a distinctly separate BNSF Railway in Chicago as you claim? Otherwise BNSF Railway = BNSF Railway. Your rhetoric is plain garbage unless you can give us a distinct link since you pretend that there are two different companies when they are exactly the one and the same. Still waiting for your comment on Metrolink using BNSF infrastructure in So Cal. Are you gonna pretend there's yet a third separate BNSF Railway out there too? Rubbish.

For your education, here are two links that specifically claim that BNSF Railway is a freight or shipping company:
1) http://www.bnsf.com/
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway

- not withstanding the existence of the Chicagoland Metra commuter rail line operated by BNSF railway BUT WHERE THE EQUIPMENT belongs to METRA:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNSF_Railway_Lin... .

You appear to have the extravagant habit of claiming things as your very own when in truth and in fact you were just mouthing what you read in the LINK.

You have the nasty habit of alluding to me claiming things that actually are just what a link actually claims. THE TWO LINKS ABOVE PROVES THAT BNSF is a FREIGHT OR SHIPPING COMPANY.

THE THIRD LINK shows that the Burlington Northern is NOT owned by BNSF but is OWNED BY the CHICAGOLAND METRA. Although operated by BNSF under a "purchase service agreement", the Burlington Northern is owned by the Chicagoland Metra.

Really wrote:

- not withstanding the existence of the Chicagoland Metra commuter rail line operated by BNSF railway BUT WHERE THE EQUIPMENT belongs to METRA:

Who you trying to kid here? I've long questioned you if you understood "purchase service agreements". I've also brought up long ago about who owns the infrastructure such as the railways. For your education, trains need to run on rails. So despite Metra owning their trains to which I have never disputed, their trains run on BNSF rails and are OPERATED by BNSF. This unequivocally refutes your claim that BNSF is merely a freight and shipping company. Freight and shipping may be their bread and butter but it's not the only thing they do. You do understand the concept of services being rendered, don't you?

Now to tie this back to topic since you've wandered off into an abyss, BNSF's rail and infrastructure support many passenger train services on the US mainland. So what they do with their infrastructure has an impact on pax service as well. Given that Mr. Buffett strongly has faith in the future of rail, all your boo-ha-has about rail being irrelevant is rubbish. The BNSF example also clearly demonstrates how pax rail services on the mainland can be built out cheaper as they piggyback off existing rail infrastructure, something we don't have here, which makes these cost comparisons simplistic and incorrect.

another mufi fiasco

Tsarbomba wrote:

<quoted text>
Who you trying to kid here? I've long questioned you if you understood "purchase service agreements". I've also brought up long ago about who owns the infrastructure such as the railways. For your education, trains need to run on rails. So despite Metra owning their trains to which I have never disputed, their trains run on BNSF rails and are OPERATED by BNSF. This unequivocally refutes your claim that BNSF is merely a freight and shipping company. Freight and shipping may be their bread and butter but it's not the only thing they do. You do understand the concept of services being rendered, don't you?
Now to tie this back to topic since you've wandered off into an abyss, BNSF's rail and infrastructure support many passenger train services on the US mainland. So what they do with their infrastructure has an impact on pax service as well. Given that Mr. Buffett strongly has faith in the future of rail, all your boo-ha-has about rail being irrelevant is rubbish. The BNSF example also clearly demonstrates how pax rail services on the mainland can be built out cheaper as they piggyback off existing rail infrastructure, something we don't have here, which makes these cost comparisons simplistic and incorrect.

"Tsarbomba", you talk too much. The two links that says that BNSF Railway is a freight or shipping company makes all your words and everything you say contrary to what the two links claim are all meaningless drivel.

Really wrote:

<quoted text>
"Tsarbomba", you talk too much. The two links that says that BNSF Railway is a freight or shipping company makes all your words and everything you say contrary to what the two links claim are all meaningless drivel.

Does the link say BNSF Railway is ONLY a freight or shipping company? Even you acknowledged yourself that the commuter line is operated by BNSF Railway. On this issue, you lose buddy, end of story.

Tsarbomba wrote:

<quoted text>
Does the link say BNSF Railway is ONLY a freight or shipping company? Even you acknowledged yourself that the commuter line is operated by BNSF Railway. On this issue, you lose buddy, end of story.

You can say whatever you want, "Tsarbomba". You can claim anything under the sun concerning BNSF Railway, "Tsarbomba". But all that are just meaningless.

Do not and never forget that one of the links had this to say about BNSF Railway:

"The BNSF Railway (reporting mark BNSF), formerly known as the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, is an American freight railroad company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas...."

Let me repeat what the link said: THE BNSF RAILWAY......IS AN AMERICAN FREIGHT RAILROAD COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN FORTH WORTH, TEXAS.

Go ahead. Reply to this post and continue the discussion by claiming anything and everything you want. Reply with everything you've got.

But nothing you say can erase the fact that one link states that BNSF Railway is a shipping company and another link states that BNSF Railway is a freight company.

Stop the rail. End the furlough. Get our priorities straight.

Really wrote:

<quoted text>
You can say whatever you want, "Tsarbomba". You can claim anything under the sun concerning BNSF Railway, "Tsarbomba". But all that are just meaningless.
Do not and never forget that one of the links had this to say about BNSF Railway:
"The BNSF Railway (reporting mark BNSF), formerly known as the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway, is an American freight railroad company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas...."
Let me repeat what the link said: THE BNSF RAILWAY......IS AN AMERICAN FREIGHT RAILROAD COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN FORTH WORTH, TEXAS.
Go ahead. Reply to this post and continue the discussion by claiming anything and everything you want. Reply with everything you've got.
But nothing you say can erase the fact that one link states that BNSF Railway is a shipping company and another link states that BNSF Railway is a freight company.

Try reading for once, I said, "Does the link say BNSF Railway is ONLY a freight or shipping company?" Where am I disputing BNSF is not a freight and shipping company? Quote any of my posts and show me where I said BNSF is not. On the contrary, I'm saying they are a freight and shipping company and more. Yes yes, try to fluff up your defenseless position. Your posts are even more meaningless because you always end up so far up a creek without a paddle.

Tsarbomba wrote:

<quoted text>
Try reading for once, I said, "Does the link say BNSF Railway is ONLY a freight or shipping company?" Where am I disputing BNSF is not a freight and shipping company? Quote any of my posts and show me where I said BNSF is not. On the contrary, I'm saying they are a freight and shipping company and more. Yes yes, try to fluff up your defenseless position. Your posts are even more meaningless because you always end up so far up a creek without a paddle.

A shipping company and more? That's your opinion. That is not a fact.

"Tsarbomba", one of the two links is the BNSF Railway website itself. Try reading what the BNSFRailway itself says about itself. Does BNSF Railway itself say that they are a shipping company and more?

"Tsarbomba", you can claim anything you want to claim using the words "only" and "more". But that is only your opinion. BNSF Railway itself in its own website repudiates your opinion.

Again, let me repeat to you what the facts are about BNSF - not opinions. BNSF Railway itself says in its very own website that they are a shipping company. And a 2nd link is a confirmation by saying that BNSF Railway is a freight company.

End of story.

Really wrote:

<quoted text>
A shipping company and more? That's your opinion. That is not a fact.
"Tsarbomba", one of the two links is the BNSF Railway website itself. Try reading what the BNSFRailway itself says about itself. Does BNSF Railway itself say that they are a shipping company and more?
"Tsarbomba", you can claim anything you want to claim using the words "only" and "more". But that is only your opinion. BNSF Railway itself in its own website repudiates your opinion.
Again, let me repeat to you what the facts are about BNSF - not opinions. BNSF Railway itself says in its very own website that they are a shipping company. And a 2nd link is a confirmation by saying that BNSF Railway is a freight company.
End of story.

Opinion? You can't answer my question, where does the BNSF link say they are ONLY a freight company. Am I giving you too much credit in your ability to comprehend english? You yourself acknowledged Metra's BNSF railway line is operated by BNSF itself. That's not opinion, that's fact. When BNSF is running that Metra line, is it hauling freight or passengers? If it's the latter, do you count people as freight? No? Then you're argument has already failed the litmus test. Do you even bother proof reading your links? Because when you keep referring to the BNSF Railway link, this is what it says.

"The BNSF Railway Line is a commuter rail line in the United States, provided by Metra and operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the BNSF line are printed in bright "Cascade Green," similar to the paint of the Burlington Northern Railroad."

If you're gonna off on your lie that Burlington Northern is not BNSF, try clicking on the link to BN. You get the following.

"The Burlington Northern Railroad (reporting mark BN) was a United States-based railroad company operating between 1970 and 1996. Its successor-in-interest is the BNSF Railway, which operates the trackage formerly owned by the Burlington Northern. BNSF was bought by corporate giant Berkshire Hathaway in 2009."

Keep being an ostrich and stick your head in the ground. I expect you to reply since you're the type that feels the compulsive need to have the last word, even when wrong.

Tsarbomba wrote:

<quoted text>
Opinion? You can't answer my question, where does the BNSF link say they are ONLY a freight company. Am I giving you too much credit in your ability to comprehend english? You yourself acknowledged Metra's BNSF railway line is operated by BNSF itself. That's not opinion, that's fact. When BNSF is running that Metra line, is it hauling freight or passengers? If it's the latter, do you count people as freight? No? Then you're argument has already failed the litmus test. Do you even bother proof reading your links? Because when you keep referring to the BNSF Railway link, this is what it says.
"The BNSF Railway Line is a commuter rail line in the United States, provided by Metra and operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the BNSF line are printed in bright "Cascade Green," similar to the paint of the Burlington Northern Railroad."
If you're gonna off on your lie that Burlington Northern is not BNSF, try clicking on the link to BN. You get the following.
"The Burlington Northern Railroad (reporting mark BN) was a United States-based railroad company operating between 1970 and 1996. Its successor-in-interest is the BNSF Railway, which operates the trackage formerly owned by the Burlington Northern. BNSF was bought by corporate giant Berkshire Hathaway in 2009."
Keep being an ostrich and stick your head in the ground. I expect you to reply since you're the type that feels the compulsive need to have the last word, even when wrong.

If BNSF Railway itself says it is a shipping company, it is a shipping company NO MATTER WHAT YOU say, "Tsarbomba".

Why do you keep on arguing with me.

Argue with BNSF Railway.

I am not the one telling you that BNSF is a shipping company, it is BNSF itself who is telling you that BNSF is a shipping comp;any.

If you have a problem with that, that is your problem. Not mine.

If you insist on saying the BNSF Railway is more than a shipping company, that is your opinion or view which does not agree with what BNSF itself says who they are - A SHIPPING COMPANY.

DENVER-

"Team ENDS its bid to build, operate Rtd line to airport"
The Denver Post
POSTED: 11/12/2009 01:00:00 AM MST

"One of three teams vying to be the public-private partnership contractor to build RTD's commuter train to Denver International Airport and other projects has bowed out of the bidding.

Mile High Transit, which includes rail car builder Bombardier and Colorado firms Flatiron Construction Corp. and CH2M Hill, did not believe that it could submit a competitive proposal within the required timetable, said Brian Middleton, RTD's chief on the public-private partnership work.

By June, the Regional Transportation District expects to select a winning team that will finance, design, build, operate and maintain a $2.3 billion portion of the FasTracks project, including the 23-mile train between Union Station and the airport, the Gold Line commuter train to Arvada/Wheat Ridge and the portion of the Northwest commuter rail line from Denver to Westminster."
POSTED: 11/12/2009

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13767680

"RailAmerica, Inc. Reports October 2009 Monthly Carloads"

November 11, 2009

"JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 11 (NYSE: RA)
RailAmerica, Inc Freight carloads for the month ended DOWN 19.9% from October 2008.

RailAmerica, Inc. is the largest owner and operator of short line and regional freight railroads in North America, measured in terms of total track-miles, operating a portfolio of 40 individual railroads with approximately 7,500 miles of track in 27 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements"

Certain items in this press release and other information we provide from time to time may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including, but not necessarily limited to, statements relating to future events and financial performance. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "seeks," "estimates" and variations on these words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of factors that could lead to actual results materially different from those described in the forward-looking statements.

RailAmerica, Inc. CAN GIVE NO assurance that its expectations will be attained. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Factors that could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects or that could cause actual results to differ materially from RailAmerica, Inc.’s expectations include, but are not limited to, prolonged capital markets disruption and volatility, general economic conditions and business conditions, our relationships with Class I railroads and other connecting carriers, our ability to obtain railcars and locomotives from other providers on which we are currently dependent, legislative and regulatory developments including rulings by the Surface Transportation Board or the Railroad Retirement Board, strikes or work stoppages by our employees, our transportation of hazardous materials by rail, rising fuel costs, acquisition risks, competitive pressures within the industry, risks related to the geographic markets in which we operate; and other risks detailed in RailAmerica, Inc.’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our prospectus filed with the Commission on October 13, 2009. In addition, new risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for RailAmerica, Inc. to predict or assess the impact of every factor that may cause its actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements."

from: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/...

November 10, 2009.

Rail tax collections way below latest city projections:

In forecasts that the City made only in August they forecast that the rail tax collections for the fiscal year ending next June 30 would be level with the previous year. However, the state's GE tax collections for the first four months are down 12.9 percent and it therefore highly unlikely that the City will get anywhere near their forecast.

In today's Advertiser, the Governor's Senior Policy Adviser, Linda Smith noted that these tax decreases were after the Legislature had significantly increased taxes.



November 9, 2009.

We’re plodding steadily down the road to ruin:

The New York Times tells us in a story last week that Denver’s light rail originally billed as $4.7 billion has now grown.“Projected costs have ballooned to nearly $7 billion, and the system faces a budget gap of $2.2 billion, mainly because of a sharp drop in sales tax revenues.”

Does that sound familiar? They go on:

“Many more systems, though, are comrades in misery with Denver.

“In New York, for example, home to the nation’s largest transit system, tax increases for a $1.9 billion state bailout of the bus and train system took effect in September, including a payroll tax and a surcharge on taxi rides. In Miami, rail administrators hope a special session of the State Legislature could rescue the system with new revenue.

“Other places are taking Denver’s tack, trying to reposition the appeal of transit from getting around to getting a job, arguing that new rail lines will provide economic stimulus now, and transportation and environmental benefits later on.

“In Los Angeles, for example, where voters approved a $13 billion sales tax increase in 2008 to pay for 12 new transit projects, city officials announced a plan last month to sharply accelerate the schedule for job creation.”

We keep writing about the risks and uncertainties about these large rail projects but our citizens still keep plodding steadily on down the road to ruin.

alice wrote:

another mufi fiasco

the city cannot afford ZMufi

"Debt binge takes state to the brink"
Published: Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
http://www.sacbee.com
From: The Sacramento Bee-

"Borrowing for rail and children's hospitals might have to be held back in favor of bond sales for OTHER priorities, such as education."

The state's growing debt load and its inability to cut spending or raise taxes explains why California has the lowest credit rating of all of the 50 states. If approved by the voters, the $11.1 billion water bond, a package filled with pork-barrel projects, will only add to that burden.

That pushed the state's cost of borrowing at least a third higher than originally projected. That means the state, in order to borrow $1.9 billion, will pay millions of dollars more in interest than originally projected. As a result, millions of dollars more of the state's dangerously depleted revenues will go to debt service and less to schools, health care, social services, prisons and other priorities.

Myriad factors influence individual bond sales. But at least one bond manager said the higher cost in the state's latest sale was related to the "saturation of the market" by California. Over the last seven weeks, California has sold more than $21 billion in debt. The state's growing debt burden is cause for alarm."

Rail Pandemic wrote:

<quoted text>
On the topic of rail fatalities vs. auto fatalities...
http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Data/sami...

Fatality rates per 100,000,000 miles:
Cars are rated 1.5
Buses are rated .5
Commuter rail is rated less than 1
Light rail is rated less less than 1
Heavy rail is rated .5

Correct. Highways are 300% more dangerous. Moreover, according to today's paper:

"Hawaii is the most dangerous state for pedestrians ages 65 and older, according to a report by the coalition group Transportation for America.

The state also ranks third in the nation for having the largest proportion of pedestrian deaths of all ages in traffic accidents."

I have been nearly run over 6 times. Guys stare at me ionstead of carefully driving!

How Many Die wrote:

<quoted text>
Correct. Highways are 300% more dangerous. Moreover, according to today's paper:
"Hawaii is the most dangerous state for pedestrians ages 65 and older, according to a report by the coalition group Transportation for America.
The state also ranks third in the nation for having the largest proportion of pedestrian deaths of all ages in traffic accidents."

"How Many Die" DIDN'T even look at the transit-safety link he/she has posted.
IT DOES NOT show all Highway Data in the Data chart show in this link, it only shows Commuter Rail (CR), Heavy Rail (HR), Light Rail (LR), Vanpool (VP) and Personal transit service (DR).
No where in the data chart link does it show that all highways are 300% more dangerous than rail.

This link:
http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Data/sami...

If you open the above link that HMD claims to show that "Highways are 300% more dangerous", IT DOES NOT show all Highway Data in the Data chart!!

What the data chart does show is that Commuter Rail (CR), Heavy Rail (HR), and Light Rail (LR) have all INCREASED passenger fatalities on all rail modes,(CR, HR, LR) from 2006 to 2007.
This data chart shows that rail is dangerous and will cause passenger fatalities if you choose to ride rail.

This chart also shows that Motor Bus or Rubber-tired passenger vehicles have had a DECREASE in passenger fatalities from 2006 to 2007!

Also notice that Vanpool (VP) and Personal transit service operated (DR) in the data chart, has the LOWEST passenger fatalities of all rail transit modes!