But, a line fitting the description up to the white elephant is the TGV Mediterranée: expensive, and initial traffic somewhat below predictions. However, it should be noted that the envisaged air/rail market share was reached -- in other words, the lower numbers were recession-related and hit the entire market, not just rail.

One thing I don't have data about is the financial performance of the Atlantique line.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

Mitterrand's great jibe about the ability to leisurely enjoy the beautiful English countryside...

Or well, considering the externalities of all non-rail transportation, all railroads are good railroads.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

The problem is that when it comes to doing the VERY difficult things, government financial support combined with a strictly enforced meritocratic bureaucracy produces far superior results.  A well organized group of smart folks can usually outperform the greatest individual genius.  

So here we have it.  The French have demonstrated that when it comes to running very fast trains, strategy 2 is clearly the winner.  But our poor Brit friend has had his most deeply held, most theologically sacred beliefs challenged but rather than admit the obvious, he actually starts an argument with a TRAIN.

I am so deeply sorry I am a monolingual Midwestern 'Merikun because their are time when I believe the simple act of thinking in English is a prime cause of mental retardation or as Veblen put it more gently, "trained incapacity."


"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"