Willi- As we said Hwy 2K can be a positive

[Don1]

....Sparks US$300m township development

http://www.nepa.gov.jm/eias/StCather...IA_Colbeck.pdf

[Willi]

....Sparks US$300m township development

http://www.nepa.gov.jm/eias/StCather...IA_Colbeck.pdf

Don,

I never said it was not positive.

When comparing it to the railway for haulage of mega tonnage, it cannot compete.

Also, it is a French taxation system in Jamaica for the forseeable future. I take French autoroutes all the time and they are a nice and pleasnt drive because they are never full. Too damn expensive!!

On the one hand, it is better to have than otherwise, on the other, it brings its own issues.

[Willi]

....Sparks US$300m township development

http://www.nepa.gov.jm/eias/StCather...IA_Colbeck.pdf

Oh, BTW,

Thanks for the link.

[Don1]

Don,

I never said it was not positive.

When comparing it to the railway for haulage of mega tonnage, it cannot compete.

Also, it is a French taxation system in Jamaica for the forseeable future. I take French autoroutes all the time and they are a nice and pleasnt drive because they are never full. Too damn expensive!!

On the one hand, it is better to have than otherwise, on the other, it brings its own issues.

I know you never said it was a negative development.....it just needs to be dealt with right.....only time will tell how we leverage that.

[Willi]

I know you never said it was a negative development.....it just needs to be dealt with right.....only time will tell how we leverage that.

Agreed...but we still need rails.

Tonnage will destroy the asphalt in no time.

Also, we have to plan for rapid increase in busines and transshipment if Jamaica is to improve economically to our satisfaction.

[Exile]

Too early to call....

[Mosiah]

I agree, we need the rails as well.

John Maxwell abolutely hates it, it's the Doomsday Highway for him, but I think he is fighting a lonely battle.

[Muadib]

What is that ?

Another announcment.

Clap ! Clap ! Clap !

[Don1]

Too early to call....

agreed....as I said above only time will tell how well we leverage the investment.

[Don1]

rail etc.

Agreed...but we still need rails.

Tonnage will destroy the asphalt in no time.

Also, we have to plan for rapid increase in busines and transshipment if Jamaica is to improve economically to our satisfaction.

Rail has its place.... it's great for point to point mass transport. Heavy cargo and some limited passenger.

However if you were to say build a rail link instead of a highway (I don't know if that's what you are suggesting as an alternative) how would the rail interlink with the legacy transport infrastructure (100% road) happen? Would you build rail spurs off the mainline into surrounding communities? Park and ride depots? Bus routes? Would commuters use these facilities?

Building a new rail based transport structure for commuters would bruk we pocket and many would not use it. I believe Trinidad is debating this right now..... they want to spend US$3-4 billion (something like that.... don't quote me) on a light rail system. Maybe they can afford it... we can't.

I agree on transshipment..... would love to see Caymanas Park relocated (along Hwy 2K corridor?) and those 200 acres used for an informatics complex or a free zone logistics center linked by a rail spur to the container port. Better use of the land.

[Willi]

Rail has its place.... it's great for point to point mass transport. Heavy cargo and some limited passenger.

However if you were to say build a rail link instead of a highway (I don't know if that's what you are suggesting as an alternative) how would the rail interlink with the legacy transport infrastructure (100% road) happen? Would you build rail spurs off the mainline into surrounding communities? Park and ride depots? Bus routes? Would commuters use these facilities?

Building a new rail based transport structure for commuters would bruk we pocket and many would not use it. I believe Trinidad is debating this right now..... they want to spend US$3-4 billion (something like that.... don't quote me) on a light rail system. Maybe they can afford it... we can't.

I agree on transshipment..... would love to see Caymanas Park relocated (along Hwy 2K corridor?) and those 200 acres used for an informatics complex or a free zone logistics center linked by a rail spur to the container port. Better use of the land.

I would rebuild the railway on the previous path. Emphasis on heavy goods, Passengers as an add-on.

We have the HWY, like it or not, so we should integrate the 2.

Railway could be a good tourist attraction too.

[Karl]

Agreed...but we still need rails.

Tonnage will destroy the asphalt in no time.

Also, we have to plan for rapid increase in busines and transshipment if Jamaica is to improve economically to our satisfaction.

No need to take us off track?
No diversionary tactics?

The point was...and, still is - It can and shall stimulate economic activities...large scale economic activities!

Cho Willi, man!

[Assasin]

Willi if you rebuild the rail as you said it would have to be in central locations.

I can think of one right now, Kingston to Annotto Bay. That would bypass the Junction road for all big traffic and give the North East a direct connection.

[Muadib]

Um.. what else is the purpose of a highway corridor ??

To collect Toll ?

Investment and Return..

Under PNP rating was POOR on the return side so we brought in new Management... somewhat late.. but better late than never.

[Westman]

You are confusing issues. Willi was speaking of heavy or freight rail. Jamaica desperately needs to have this reinstated. Some heavy/freight rail do include passenger cars. In the states, Commuter Rail trains run on heavy rail lines and use diesel units that can be used in assemblies to pull freight.
Light Rail is a different ball game. Light Rail is passenger rail only. It is usually intraurban like streetcars, subways, etc. Amtrak is morem like commuter rail and is run on heavy rail tracks. Amtrak is interurban and is not light rail.

Jamaica needs a heavy/freight rail service to be reinstituted between major urban centers. The only true obstacle is that many have bought large trucks and trailers and they want to make money for haulage and damage the heck out of the roads. They stand to lose if the freight haulage is more efficiently moved between urban centers and then distributed with trucks to smaller towns over shorter distances.