From: chyang@metonymy.engin.umich.edu (Chung Hsiung Yang)
Subject: Re: ROC VS. PROC
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 18:09:30 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Distribution: na
Originator: chyang@metonymy.engin.umich.edu


In article <16OCT199210365205@zeus.tamu.edu>, y0z8374@zeus.tamu.edu (ZHANG, YUEMIN) writes:
> In article <92Oct16.105451edt.168@orasis.vis.toronto.edu>, liuyh@vis.toronto.edu (Yuanhui Liu) writes...
> >In article <ldrgn5INNgpc@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM> stlin@stevelin.Eng.Sun.COM (Steven Lin) writes:
> >>
> >>According to CCTV news Monday, the Beijing subway has been extended,
> >>from Fusinmem to Xidan, "1.81 KM". It was descrided as a major
> >>technical break-through.
> >>
> >>No wonder the traffic was terrible when I was there in August.
> >>Oh, a major break-through construction 1.81 KM, must be great.
> >>
> >>When Taiwan has constructed North-loop and South-loop railway
> >>thru many times longer tunnel under rigid rock mountain,
> >>no body said it was a major technical break-through. ROC should
> >>learn how to praise herself, see a 1.81 KM break-through? ROC
> >>should announce her major break-through to build subway tunnel in 
> >>the sand base when Taipei subway is completed. Don't ever critize
> >>the schedule delay.
> >>
> >look, building subway under a city is a bit different from building
> >railway tunnels under a rocky mountain, there are lots of that kind
> >of railway tunnels in China.  Remember Chinese had very little
> >experience in building subway, so building something new could be
> >a break-through.  Of course the CCP media always want to flatter
> >itself, it's not like the KMT is much better when come to chest-beating.  
> > 
> >>China had a Zhan Tian Yu, Taiwan has hundreds Zhan Tian Yu.:-)
> > 
> >
> 
> For my knowledge, taiwan does not have any city subway now. Comparing railway 
> tunnel with city subway means nothing but the igorance of original poster. The 
> fact is that China's railway tunnels are much much longer than taiwan's. If
 			^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
> taiwan has hundreds Zhan Tian Yu, China has thousands or ten thousands Zhan 
> Tian Yu. 

	Well, of course.  China is so much bigger than Taiwan.  Why does
anyone want to argue about this point?  People build transportation
systems because they need it.  Does it neccessary proof anything to say
that the railway tunnels are so much longer than Taiwan's?  If the 
people in Taiwan wanted to compete with the mainland on whose railway
is longer, I am sure Taiwan will have the capability of such an undertaking.
But the critical question is what does taiwan do with such a long railroad???
Then again, what is the point to this arguement.  

	I think it might be more interesting to talk about effeciency of
the transportation system and the innovation which came from it that 
conquers the nature element.  This is what I know about Taiwan.
	
	Taipei does not have a subway for city transit (Like New York 
City or something), but the railway system that goes thru Taipei is being
moved underground.  I am not sure if it is completed now, but when it is
done, you will not be able to see any railroads on the surface in 
city of Taipei.  I think that is quite an accomplishment.  When its done, 
some of the traffic jam problems should be relieved.

	For mass transit, a intercity monorail is being build now.  It is
kind of like the MARTA transit system in Atlanta, but it is elevated 
above ground.  It is more like a European transit system.  (Well, 
of course it is being built by France.)  

	High speed rail way is being build right now that will decrease
the time of travel from the north end to the south end of the island 
by a very large amount.  (Does anyone have an idea how fast this thing is?
(From what I knew, it was supposed to be faster than the bullet train in 
Japan.  Is that true?)

	All these achievement will only serve one thing - to make people's
lives easier.  And that is all it should be.  It shouldn't be a tool so
that governments can boast about its achievements.

	As far as railway tunnels, the tunnels built back in the 60's and
70's thru the rocky cliffs in east Taiwan is not too bad.  It is quite 
an accomplishment as well. 

- Chung Yang