RE: China unveils world's fastest bullet train: 262 mph
I took a ride today from Suzhou to Wuhan on China's curent high speed rail, which topped at 250 km/Hr (156 miles/hr). The distance was around 600 km. It was a pleasant ride where I read book and napped in its generous seat. Total trip was 4:50, faster than If I were to drive in U.S.
The riders were mostly middle class people (rich people took plane). Yes, the bath room got dirty toward the end, but was usable.
The trip costed me 247 yuan, which was $35. That run carried around 1,400 people. From my experience working with the local government, I know this investment is not just for national pride. They do calculate ticket price from return-on-investment analysis. From what I can see, the system will pay back on just operation. In addition, the time saving will be enormous! My company is talking about how much future rail road will shape the way we do business. I believe these systems will succeed in China and greatly increase their efficiency. Yes, many other things are still lagging, but the speed they are catching on is more than most American realize.
Speaking about American, I am a naturalized citizen from Taiwan. I lived in U.S. for 31 years before coming to China to work two years ago. I have a heart for both countries. My kids were born and raised in U.S. They are as much American as any other kids around them. I do not want them to fail. I kept telling them. Don't be complacence. Don't let national pride fool yourself. Look at the facts and only the facts. That is what counts at the end. Otherwise you will be surprised over and over. Why do you think Warrent Buffet bought most of the rail road rights in U.S.?
