one of Spain's white elephants

[DrLeftover]

... Expert studies commissioned by the airport investors said it would create 6,000 jobs and a boom for the economy. There would have been a before and after for Ciudad Real.

...

It has one of the longest runways in Europe but today there are no planes, only hawks and falcons gliding in the still heat over the arid yellow landscape of Don Quixote's Castilla La Mancha.

Rabbits pop up around the state-of-the-art terminal, built of steel, glass and gleaming white concrete.

The airport of Ciudad Real opened in 2008 but it closed in April 2012. The luggage trolleys are now trussed together in the car park gathering dust and cobwebs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-18855961







The story reminds me of a high speed rail line in California.

 

[Temerit]

Why is that? They aren't similar in any way at all. Seems like you're grasping at straws here to support your opposition to something entirely beneficial.



You are ridiculous. It's pathetic that the United States doesn't have high-speed rail already. They would get tons of business up and down California.

 

[DrLeftover]

Did you see where they are starting the project, how it is routed, and when it will be done?



They're not upgrading an existing route as was done in the DC to Boston route.

 

[Temerit]

So?

 

[DrLeftover]

It would seem that there are at least a couple of others who have issues with the issue.



Including the authority itself.



http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20120727/NEWS01/307270020/State-s-High-Speed-Rail-Authority-publishes-revised-plans?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Frontpage|p

 

[Temerit]

Nope, that's not what that article is talking about.

 

[DrLeftover]

The way I read it, they are 'adjusting' their original proposal to meet criticism of residents of some of the towns along the route because in the initial planning, they simply did what the politicians wanted done, usually involving land owned by political donors, and ignoring realities on the ground.

 

[Temerit]

Or there are just tough choices to be made and it's impossible to make everyone happy. It seems to me there are good reasons to put the track and station on either side of the city. At some point a decision must be made.