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De ce America nu are trenuri de mare viteza - O poveste despre mentalitate, prioritati si politica

de Vlad Barza      HotNews.ro

Joi, 21 august 2014, 14:27 Magazin


Acela Express

Foto: Wikimedia Commons

 ​Desi este o tara bogata care a dus la bun sfarsit proiecte uimitoare, SUA nu are trenuri de mare viteza si nici nu va avea o astfel de retea in viitorul previzibil. Vorbim de un paradox al infrastructurii, dar explicatiile sunt multe si interesante, tinand atat de mentalitatea locuitorilor, cat si de sistemul politic. 

China are 14.000 km de linii de mare viteza, Spania are circa 3.000, iar Japonia si Franta au peste 2.000. Pana si statul dictatorial Uzbekistan are o linie de 350 km pe care trenurile depasesc 230 km/h. In aceste conditii este de mirare ca SUA, lider in atatea domenii tehnologice, nu are trenuri de mare viteza si pe cele mai rapide linii sunt atinse viteze de 170-180 km/h si foarte rar, peste 200 km/h. Mai mult, SUA are o istorie bogata in domeniul trenurilor de mare viteza, un exemplu clar fiind ca in 1934 existau trenuri ce puteau atinge 180 km/h

Care sunt explicatiile situatiei din prezent? Foarte multe si diverse. Americanii iubesc automobilele, orasele de acolo au fost in ideea de a fi loc pentru automobile, iar transportul in comun lipseste in multe locuri, facand extrem de dificila deplasarea fara autoturism personal.

Apoi, tara care acum 150 de ani construia cai ferate intr-un ritm nebunesc si era, alaturi de Anglia, pionier in domeniu, a ajuns sa aiba o retea feroviara invechita si controlata de firmele de transport de marfa. Pe caile ferate din SUA transportul de marfa este la superlativ, cantitatile sunt uriase si companiile feroviare de transport de marfa detin segmente intregi din caile ferate si nu sunt incantate de ideea de a face loc trenurilor de pasageri.

Dar prinicpalul motiv tine de sistemul politic in care puterea de decizie a guvernului federal este foarte scazuta, multe hotarari fiind luate la nivelul fiecarui stat. Si cum SUA are 50 de state, colaborarea intre ele pentru o ruta de lung parcurs si coordonarea prioritatilor, astfel incat sa coincida, sunt lucruri greu de atins.

Apoi, birocratia face ca pana la decizia acordarii unor fonduri pentru proiecte, sa fie nevoie de numeroase studii de fezabilitate care de multe ori se refera la proiecte nerealiste.

America a construit in anii 50' imensa retea de autostrazi, insa atunci puterea de decizie a guvernului federal era mai mare si vocile care au sustinut proiectul au fost mult mai hotarate. Nu la fel s-a actionat si legat de trenurile de mare viteza despre care se discuta inca din anii 70', fara rezultate palpabile insa. Foarte interesant este ca in 1969 distanta Washington - New York era parcursa in doua ore si jumatate, iar acum drumul dureaza doua ore si 53 de minute.

In 2009 au fost prezentate noi planuri pentru un sistem national de trenuri ultra-rapide, dar hartile prezentate erau vagi, o parte dintre rutele propuse pareau alese la intamplare si nici macar notiunea de "mare viteza" nu era clar definita, pe unele rute fiind propuse viteze maxime de 150 km/h, iar pe altele de 380 km/h(!) fara a se oferi argumente legate de marea discrepanta.

Cateva state au luat initiativa, cel mai bine stand California unde se lucreaza la o sectiune de 45 km intre Madera si Fresno, segment ce va face parte dintr-o cale ferata ultra-rapida ce ar trebui sa lege in trei ore Los Angeles de San Francisco (800 km). Insa daca e sa fie concretizat, proiectul va dura minim zece ani.

Cele mai rapide trenuri din reteaua Amtrak se numesc Acela Express care pe scurte distante pot depasi 200 km/h, insa pe rutele lungi vitezele medii sunt de maxim 120-130 km/h

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Review: Fractured is a Film With An Identity Crisis

Paul Doro April 12th 2014, 9:13 am

Fractured, formerly known as Schism, isn’t really a horror movie. It has a bit of an identity crisis, much like its lead character. Other traits it shares with its lead: It has problems with women, isn’t very captivating, and fails to make much of an impression. Filmmakers Adam Gierasch (co-writer/director) and Jace Anderson (co-writer/producer) have made far better features than this, including the 2009 Night of the Demons remake. Sadly, based on their latest effort they are not progressing. Fractured is shaky and jagged and feels like something from a first-time filmmaker. Callum Blue stars as Dylan, only that’s not his real name. Since waking up from a coma of more than 2 years, he has no memory. He leads a quiet, boring life and is a cook at a restaurant in New Orleans. He sleeps with Brandy (Ashlynn Yennie) from time to time, who notes that his walls are complete bare and requests permission to remedy that. Though he has no memory, what Dylan does have are terrifying visions. Naked, bloodied women attack and devour him at his apartment and a convenience store. Why is he having these visions? Who is he and what kind of person was he before the coma? After spotting an image in the newspaper that feels familiar, he decides to find the answers, telling Brandy that she can’t join him. Dylan shows up at a bar where people seem to know him, and before long he crosses paths with a criminal named Quincy (Vinnie Jones, in a role requiring minimum effort). It turns out that Dylan might have been involved in nefarious activities before the coma, and Quincy is none too pleased to see him. None of the above is remotely unique or interesting.The movie’s biggest problem is Blue. He displays no screen presence or charisma whatsoever. Dylan seems like he has a sleep disorder or chronic boredom. He’s barely awake in nearly every scene. It is impossible to be invested in his past, the meaning of the visions, or what happens to him. Fractured also doesn’t know what kind of movie it’s trying to be. It’s got a bluesy score and appears to be trying for noir at times, but it has no sense of what type of mood that necessitates. The visions are out of a horror movie, but it never generates any suspense and is certainly never scary. The sex and frequent full-frontal nudity are out of something soft-core on Cinemax. Women are rarely clothed. Speaking of women, the vast majority of them are sex slaves. The only two with significant screen time are given nothing to do save for sleep with Dylan. There’s also an extremely graphic scalping of one of them and an even more unpleasant scene featuring Quincy slaughtering a group of sex slaves. It’s grotesque and encapsulates the movie’s misogyny problem. If forced to pay a compliment, the makeup effects are pretty good. And Vinnie Jones, even in a role he could play in his sleep, has his moments. That’s about it though.Fractured is an unpleasant bore.