Intercity SkyTran routes

This fourth example compares a proposed San Francisco to Los Angeles high-speed rail link to a SkyTran installation for the same purpose.

	High Speed Train	SkyTran w/ 100 stations
Cruise Speed	125 mph	100 mph
Average travel speed due to stops at 6 stations	100 mph	100 mph (only stops at your destination)
Total system miles	450 miles	450 miles
Time to travel 450 miles	4.5 hours	4.5 hours
Total number of vehicles	(?)	25,000
System Cost	$12.6 billion	$0.825 billion*
% of High Speed Rail Cost	100%	6.5%
Hourly passenger capacity	1,000 (500 in each direction)	2,000 (4,000 if 2 persons per vehicle)
Maximum daily capacity	8,000 (four trains, one round trip per day)	50,000 (100,000 if 2 persons per vehicle)
Expected daily capacity	8,000	8,000
Annual gross income from fare revenues	$262 million	$262 million
Annual expenses	Assume $0**	$75 million
Excess remaining after expenses	Same $262 million	$187Million
Annual return to State for its transportation investment	2.1%**	22.7%
The conclusion here is that an on-demand Inter-City SkyTran system can carry you from one city to the other in the same exact time as the proposed "High" Speed Rail system, but for a fraction of the capital investment cost. SkyTran is also more convenient to use, has higher carrying capacity and can return a reasonable profit to the State. Additional stations and routing can be added to an inter-city route for minimal additional cost, giving the system the flexibility of multiple starting and finishing locations. * Annual expenses for energy, maintenance, operations, salaries of operators, facilities, etc. of high speed trains typically exceed the annual income from fare revenue. Obviously, even with zero expense the annual return to investors is awful. High speed rail also means big $ for law suits every time a pedestrian is run over and killed or a derailment crash occurs. *Source: The Los Angeles Times,* May 25, 1990, "SF-LA Rail Link urged by year 2000."**

The difference between $12.6 billion and $.825 billion is $11.8 billion. This saving is enough to build a complete 3D SkyTran grid in both the San Francisco bay area and the entire Los Angeles area (Los Angeles County plus San Bernardino County and Orange County).

Alternatively, that $12.6 billion for high speed rail could be used to build 6,400 miles of SkyTran track and 1 million SkyTran vehicles. If the average commuter is making a 10 mile daily commute, this system would have the capability to complete 4,000,000 such 10 mile trips per hour!

Cost and time saving benefits for intercity travelers: This figure and table show the cost and time saving benefits for intercity travelers, if the money saved was used to build complete SkyTran 3D networked grid systems to cover both the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas.

Comparison Of San Francisco To Los Angeles Travel Times
	High Speed Rail	SkyTran	Jet Airplane
Drive to San Francisco station	30 min	10 min (walk)	30 min
Park, check in, wait for departure	30 min	0	60 min
Board and prepare for departure	10 min	15 sec	20 min
Rail: time with 6 stops to LA	4.5 Hours	NA	NA
SkyTran: non-stop time to LA	NA	4.5 Hours	NA
Airplane: taxi and take off	NA	NA	15 min
Airplane: climb out, fly, descend	NA	NA	60 min
Airplane: land, taxi, deplane	NA	NA	20 min
Walk to rental car booth, check in	15 min	NA	15 min
Get rental car	15 min	NA	20 min
Drive to Los Angeles destination	30 min	10 min (walk)	30 min
Total Times	6.7 Hours	4.8 Hours	4.5 Hours
One Way Cost Estimates	$125 + $30 for car	$45	$90 + $30 for car