High-speed rail: an engine of growth

I’ve been focused this week on talking about livable cities, but I don’t want anyone to think we’re ignoring inter-city travel.

If you read any news at all about transportation in the past 6 weeks, you know about the $8 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act investment we’re making in high-speed rail (HSR). I’ve been hearing from many enthusiastic rail advocates, and news outlets across the country have been writing editorials championing HSR. More importantly, there is a growing list of states and cities that want to get working on this right away.

Let me remind anyone who doesn’t already know it that I’m from Peoria, Illinois. So, when I consider rail, my first thoughts are of the old Rock Island Rocket that ran to Chicago in my youth. That train, with its GM Electro-Motive engine and its legendary speed, dominated the imaginations of me and my friends.

People rode the Rocket because of the convenience and efficiency it offered. And, with the ARRA high-speed rail investment, President Obama and I want to develop a 21st century equivalent of that efficiency and convenience.

High-speed rail travel will offer competitive door-to-door trip times. It will reduce congestion on key routes between cities. It will reduce our dependence on oil. It will reduce pollution. And, it will create the jobs of the future, the jobs America needs right now.

Can we build a new industry with $8 billion? We can start. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; Europe and Japan already use this technology. We need only put people to work here making it happen.

This administration is not looking to abandon air travel or highways. We’re looking to increase options for convenient, efficient travel in the most sustainable ways possible.

Comments

[Kate Hanni]

High Speed Rail is certainly a must have for the future of our infrastructure. But I think we are sorely behind other developed countries with our domestic air carriers. Our infrastructure improvements and funding must include, and fairly immediately, monies to improve the capacity at certain airports, the upgrading of the air traffic control system, and in-cabin safety improvements such as providing basic human necessities inside aircraft for those jets that do not take off in a reasonable period of time and warehouse passengers on the tarmac without access to water, food, temperature control and hygienic toilets.

I certainly hope that Secretary La Hood hasn't forgotten those of us who must fly in the near term across the US weekly and the suffering we are experiencing in the process.

Kate Hanni
Executive Director
FlyersRights.org

[Chris]

One aspect of HSR that doesn't get mentioned enough is that it provides connections from one downtown to another, instead of airports, which are generally exurb-to-exurb. This is why HSR works on both a macro (high-speed transportation) and micro (promoting livable communities) level.

Bravo!

[John Riecke]

Please, please, please give us more rail. And while you're at it, could you reduce contruction times from multi-decades to a more reasonable few years? Driving is long and stressful where trains can be relaxed and productive. Flying is simply a personal and civil violation. Bring on the trains, as quickly as possible, please.

[David Galvan]

California need seomthing like $10 B from the federal government to build it's planned CA-HSR system, with 220 mph trains. I think the best thing the fed can do for HSR right now is to make an investment in CA's system. It is the furthest along in terms of planning, and it already has $10 B approved by CA voters as of last November. This can be a flagship HSR system for the United States, and will inspire other states to do the groundwork on planning new effective HSR systems.

[John]

ok, so until the planning goes through and the day I'd be able to ride high speed rail in most mayor cities in the US will be when? will it be in my lifetime? (I'm 22) I highly doubt it

[Christen Gallagher]

After traveling around Europe by rail, I am very excited to hear the US is moving towards its own High Speed Rail system. However, I’m concerned that the time constraints on obligating the $8 billion could detrimentally impact the planning stages necessary to successfully establish HSR. Just this month, the GAO published a report on HSR calling most estimates of ridership and costs optimistic and in need of closer analysis. There were legitimate concerns about HSR funds being subject to political pressures over multiple electoral cycles that could endanger funding because they come from general revenues rather than a trust. I have also heard that $8 billion is not really enough to get HSR going on any large scale. Regional development focusing on key corridors seems like a logical starting point for an HSR system.

From personal experience, an HSR train between Chicago and Indianapolis could be a very viable option. I know that such a project has been discussed before but never implemented. As Secretary LaHood points out, rail travel needs to be convenient and efficient to be competitive. I drive the 180 miles between Chicago and Indianapolis in three to four hours as part of my trip to and from college. Flying, because of travel to the airport, security etc, takes about the same amount of time. I drive because it’s cheaper and on my own schedule. However, an HSR train could make that journey more convenient and more efficient for me as instead of losing hours to driving, I could study on the train. There’s a lot of potential for regional development with HSR, and I sincerely hope DOT takes the time to comprehensively analyze the best way to make it happen.

[Michael Skehan]

Washington, Oregon and British Columbia began to study and deploy High Speed Rail (HSR) passenger trains through the Cascade Corridor in the mid 90s. Our Talgo tilt trains, capable of 125 mph, have been running between Eugene Oregon and Vancouver, BC since 1999.

Using an incremental approach to building the system, with limited state and dwindling Amtrak funding for trains, track and signal, and operations, has enabled some pretty impressive achievements -- while still being limited to 79 mph by the Feds.

Ridership continues to grow at double-digit rates each year. More than twice as many passengers now choose rail over planes for the trip between Seattle and Portland. Trains get twice the fuel economy over planes and cars, while producing only half the CO2 emissions.

All Aboard Washington is excited the needed improvements are now achievable through the stimulus funding for HSR, and applaud our new administration. With modest capital improvements, new train sets could double ridership in years, not decades. Travel times could be slashed by up to 50% through higher speeds and reduced conflicts with current freight traffic, while achieving significant reductions to both fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Truly a win, win, win for America!
Mike Skehan

[Andrew C.]

I have also heard that the 8 billion set aside by the stimulus plan is not enough to get a large scale HSR system to be put in place, but I would like to point out that there is still potential for some much needed progress. The United States must take steps to improve the transportation infrastructure, especially in areas with heavy commercial and non-commercial traffic. Although this money will not be enough to comprehensively overhaul the entire rail infrastructure to accommodate HSR, it is still a huge sum of money that, if applied correctly, can lay the foundation for larger projects in the future. For example, transit from urban centers along the East coast (such as Atlanta-DC-NY-Boston) would be a foundation from which more can be added. I do not think it is acceptable to simply say that there is not enough money so there is no future for the project; it is unreasonable to expect a one time lump sum for a complete overhaul. I believe this money for HSR is the first step in a much larger project.

[Jim]

Streamline the EIS process. It takes too long to do the studies for these projects.

[Steve]

***The 180 MPH rule***

If your train isn't going 180 MPH, you are in a developing nation.

A trip from New York to Boston should take an hour and a half by train. New York to DC should take about the same hour and a half.

If you don't have that, you are in a developing nation.

A trip from Indianapolis to Chicago should be less than an hour.

If you don't have that, you are in a developing nation.

I love America and WE need to catch up.

[Brandon Palmen]

The 'OnBoardMidwest' advocacy group is using enthusiasm for this project in general (which I share) to lobby for a controversial and economically flawed high speed rail route in Minnesota, which touches a few politically influential but otherwise unimportant river towns at the expense of a connection to Rochester, MN, the state's third largest city and economy, and the home of the Mayo Clinic and other destinations.

Please do not approve the OnBoardMidwest plan in the rush to distribute these funds - the plan is flawed. In order for the funds to truly stimulate Minnesota's economy, they must be used to connect MAJOR centers of innovation and commerce. The long term success of the project in Minnesota depends on routing the train through Rochester on the way to Saint Paul.

[Brandon Palmen]

A quick follow-up to my other note:

Check out the pork-barrel politics of OnBoardMidwest's legislative backers - they managed to lever their small towns onto this route proposal while bypassing Rochester, one of Minnesota's largest cities: http://tr.im/jYzf

[TransGlobal Higway]

This is a truly excellent idea. In the future, this network can become a part of the Trans-Global Highway system (www.TransGlobalHighway.org), proposed by Frank Didik.

[Jacqueline Straw]

NEVADA MISSED THEIR CHANCE TO GET A TRAIN FROM LAS VEGAS TO ANAHEIM, CA. WE NEED SOME OF THIS MONEY. PLEASE TELL OUR OFFICIALS WHAT FORMS TO FILL OUT. WE NEED THESE JOBS AND GOV. GIBBONS AND HARRY REID DID NOT ASK FOR ANY OF THIS MONEY. SHAME - SHAME - SHAME

[zach rudnick]

ok great we've been talking about this but how about we actually see some action

[serial numbers]

I think we are sorely behind other developed countries with our domestic air carriers. Our infrastructure improvements and funding must include, and fairly immediately, monies to improve the capacity at certain airports, the upgrading of the air traffic control system.

[Tommy Hallberg]

YEAH BUILD HIG SPEED RAIL NOW in every state and across Noth America from Alaska=Fairbaks to Chile=Pantagonia:)

You the best Obama God Bless AMERICA

[Gaush]

Definitely the HSR will benefit the U.S. The countries such as Japan have prospered with the high speed trains such as bullet.

I feel such transportation method boost the development of any economy. The consumers will also benefit with the HSR which will help them to save their time while commuting to the far off areas.

[Delfin]

HSR really great project & very helpful for the Americans.

America go for this project.

[Cars]

This is really an excellent idea.

[Patrik R Jellfo]

I have also heard that the 8 billion set aside by the stimulus plan is not enough to get a large scale HSR system to be put in place, but I would like to point out that there is still potential for some much needed progress. The United States must take steps to improve the transportation infrastructure, especially in areas with heavy commercial and non-commercial traffic. Although this money will not be enough to comprehensively overhaul the entire rail infrastructure to accommodate HSR, it is still a huge sum of money that, if applied correctly, can lay the foundation for larger projects in the future. For example, transit from urban centers along the East coast (such as Atlanta-DC-NY-Boston) would be a foundation from which more can be added. I do not think it is acceptable to simply say that there is not enough money so there is no future for the project; it is unreasonable to expect a one time lump sum for a complete overhaul. I believe this money for HSR is the first step in a much larger project.

[Used cars]

This is very good news for Americans. the fuel prices are increasing day by day.So, the best alternative is rail.

[Commercial Trucks]

A high speed rail corridor is the most important part in the progress take the example of China. They are now building a high speed railway corridor in the country and also connecting the neighboring ones. It helps in cheap transportation and progress.

[Pikalainat]

Travelling by rails is just the best way to travel. Saves energy, oil and nature. Just cant get it why people use so much cars