PROEMIO

Por: Aureusphere

“Ciudades-Región” (“Regional Cities”): asunto a la orden del día en el mundo

del siglo XXI

Lo que el mundo necesita: trenes de alta velocidad; he ahí la clave para

desarrollar el concepto de “ciudades-región”.

La clave para el modelo de “ciudad-región” son las vías de alta velocidad

conectando sus principales centros urbanos; estas vías no pueden ser otras
que líneas férreas, con trenes que viajen a 300 Km/h o más; de no ser así, los
radios de influencia de dichos centros no podrán llegar muy lejos y, entonces,
habrá conurbación invasiva de las áreas rurales  - ¿por qué? Porque los viajes
frecuentes de larga duración (por baja velocidad) a centros satélites invitarán a
detenerse uno en el camino, o a desalentar a la gente de vivir en puntos
retirados de los centros mayores, lo cual conducirá al surgimiento de núcleos
urbanos menores, a distancias cortas de los núcleos más significativos y, luego,
a la conurbación.

Lo conducente es desarrollar un “modelo de ciudad basado en alta velocidad de

movilidad” y, concomitantemente, un modelo de país basado en redes
troncales de trenes y de carreteras de alta velocidad.

El artículo que sigue, contiene una noticia de inmenso significado: los Estados
Unidos retoman su exitoso “viejo” concepto del desarrollo económico, que se
basó, en gran medida, en el transporte ferroviario con la última tecnología del
momento.

Países como los Estados Unidos y el Reino Unido presentan un enorme atraso
en transporte férreo: cuando Europa continental corre a velocidades entre 200
y 300 Km./h (técnicamente, pueden alcanzar velocidades mayores), los EEUU y
el Reino Unido lo hacen a 100 Km./h (aunque ahora el Reino Unido tiene una
línea de alta velocidad – 230 a 300 Km./h, prolongación del Eurostar que viene
de Francia, pasando por el túnel del Canal de la Mancha, línea que llega hasta
Londres).
No obstante, el mundo necesita viajar a más velocidad, como en China, donde
los trenes viajan a 300 – 400 Km/h. El MAGLEV (tren de levitación magnética
que conecta a Shangai con su aeropuerto, corre a más de 400 Km./h, pero
puede alcanzar velocidades por encima de los 500 Km./h – tren construido por
un consorcio alemán).

El mundo en general adolece de un gran atraso económico y social, producto

principalmente de las guerras de baja y mediana intensidad, y de larga
duración, que pululan en los países y zonas en vías de desarrollo, y en los que
aún clasifican como “pobres”, con repercusiones importantes en los países
desarrollados; por eso, se requieren factores aceleradores muy fuertes, como
podrían ser los trenes de levitación magnética. ¡Es cuestión de supervivencia:
el mundo tiene que desatrasarse a como dé lugar!

(El título y subtítulo, y algunas porciones del artículo en inglés que sigue, se
traducen abajo)

The U.S want to retake their successful “old” concept of economic

development
¡¡CONGRATULATIONS!!

Sincerely,

A u r e u s p h e r e
 From “The Christian Science Monitor” – Boston U.S.A:

Companies to build high-speed rail cars in the

US
With a high-speed passenger rail network proposed for the
US, companies are gearing up to build the equipment on
American soil.

A fast train in Paris. If the United States gets high-speed passenger rail, as is already common in
Europe, the equipment could be manufactured in the US, not overseas, say industry observers.
NEWSCOM

By Mark Clayton  Staff writer / February 19, 2010

It's been decades since iconic American companies such as Budd and Pullman built
passenger-train cars that let Americans sleep or dine in comfort as they rolled across
country by rail.

But President Obama's $8 billion plan to kick-start high-speed rail construction in 13 areas
around the country has US and foreign companies announcing plans to expand or build new
factories to produce equipment for these passenger trains.

On Thursday, American Railcar Industries, a St. Charles, Mo.-based freight car

manufacturer owned by investor Carl Icahn, announced a joint venture with Columbus,
Ohio-based US Railcar to again manufacture passenger cars in the United States, at least
initially at facilities in Arkansas.
"One of US Railcar Co.'s goals is to reestablish American-owned passenger train production
in the United States," said Barry Fromm, one of the directors of the joint venture, in a
statement.

The same day, the US rail division of German conglomerate Siemens AG announced that it
had completed purchase of 20 acres of land adjacent to its existing 34-acre light-rail
manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif. That new land would be the site for
manufacturing high-speed-rail passenger trains traveling at up to 220 miles per hour.

"Siemens is ready to not only bring its proven high-speed-train technology to market, but
also to build the systems right here in the United States," said Oliver Hauck, president of
Siemens Mobility in the US.

Other deals are in the works as well. In December, freight locomotive giant GE announced
plans to build a next-generation passenger locomotive capable of hitting 124 miles per hour.
It is also developing even faster electric-powered locomotives in a joint venture with China's
Ministry of Railways. At least 80 percent of the content for those trains would be from US
suppliers and all final assembly would be in the US.

Spanish high-speed train manufacturer Talgo announced last summer would set up an
assembly plant that would employ 80 workers in Wisconsin to meet a $47 million deal with
the state to supply two trains. Close observers of that deal say that could now expand, with
the company seeking to supply high-speed trains around the country.

"It's the perfect marriage of smart, 21st-century transportation investment and job creation
right here at home," said Bruce Speight, director, Wisconsin Public Interest Research
Group.

Meanwhile, French energy and transport company Alstom SA, whose factory in Hornell,
N.Y., is one of the largest passenger rail facilities in the country, is reportedly pursuing high-
speed rail contracts.

High-speed rail is arriving at a critical "tipping point" that could radically spur growth of
passenger rail manufacturing, says Art Guzzetti, vice president of policy for the American
Public Transportation Association, a Washington-based association of public transportation
providers nationwide.

Today the market for commuter-rail systems has nearly doubled since 1992 to a roughly $2.4
billion market. Commuter-rail systems have grown from nine in 1980 to 25 today. Light-rail
systems have grown from seven in 1980 to 36 today.

Beyond the need for new equipment for high-speed rail, many of the light rail and commuter
systems in the US are aging, and Amtrak recently announced that it would finally begin
replacing its aging rail cars and locomotives.
 "There is a tipping point that we're very close to," Mr. Guzzetti said. "We're at a point
where we have a big market now where there wasn't one before. Now add to that high-speed
rail.... All these things point to huge growth in public transportation."[1]

For long-time observers, these moves are more than welcome news, they represent what
could become the beginning of an industry rebirth. [2]

"We have underinvested in intercity passenger rail since the 1950s," said Thomas Simpson,
of Railway Supply Institute [3], a Washington trade group for railway equipment
manufacturers. "At long last, some recognition has come, and companies are seeing there
are real opportunities here."

There's hope that the shift will create badly needed US manufacturing jobs [4]. The
Department of Transportation in December unveiled a list of 30 rail manufacturers and
suppliers it described as committed to "establish or expand their base of operations in the
United States and American manufacturing jobs" if chosen to supply high-speed rail or
intercity passenger equipment.

Related Stories

 Obama's high-speed rail plan: Which states get the money?

 California closer to dream of being US high-speed rail capital

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0219/Companies-to-build-high-speed-rail-cars-in-the-US

Traducción de título, subtítulo y algunas porciones del artículo

Empresas: a producir trenes de alta velocidad en los Estados Unidos

Con una red ferroviaria de alta velocidad - propuesta para los Estados Unidos
- las compañías fabricantes se alistan para construír equipo en tierras
americanas.
[1] Estamos muy próximos a un punto de inflexión, dijo Mr. Guzzetti. Estamos en un punto
donde tenemos ahora un gran mercado, punto donde no había uno anteriormente.
Añadamos a esto el ferrocarril de alta velocidad … Todo esto apunta a un crecimiento
enorme en transporte público.

[2] Para observadores de la perspectiva de largo plazo, estos movimientos, más que noticias
de buen recibo, representan lo que podría ser el principio de un renacimiento de la
industria.

[3] Hemos tenido sub-inversión en ferrocarriles inter-urbanos desde los años 50, dijo
Thomas Simpson, del Railway Supply Institute, …
[4] Se espera que, por este cambio en la orientación, se crearán empleos manufactureros que
están haciendo mucha falta.