US finally turning to train travel

For generations, much of the US’s traveling public has been forced to use cars, buses or airplanes to travel — even to nearby cities. But this year, Washington opened the door to what may be a historic turning point in regional travel, suggests CNN
 

“The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded US$8 billion among 31 states to begin developing America’s first nationwide high-speed intercity passenger rail service,” the site says.
 

What might that accomplish? Convenience for frazzled rush hour drivers but there are other benefits as well, say supporters, which include:
 

—Cut back the US’s dependence on foreign oil.
 

—Reduce climate-changing pollution.
 

—Trigger economic development all across the US.
 

—Travelers will have more choices as they move around the country.
 

“Soon, Americans might find themselves rocketing along ribbons of rails at 200 mph in sleek, painted passenger cars — never stopping until they arrive at destinations awake and refreshed,” says CNN.
 

"High-speed rail in America is long overdue and President Obama understands we can’t build the economy of the future on the transportation networks of the past," said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo.
 

The US has long lagged Europe and other areas of the world in train mass transit. But funded by the federal government’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, new dollars represent a historic investment in the country’s transportation infrastructure. It will help create jobs and transform travel in America, according to a US Department of Transportation official.
 

Despite these promises from the government, high-speed rail comes with its share of opponents, who say it is too expensive and won’t save energy. Some even question if it will ever be built.
 

A report from the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) also highlights potential issues with high-speed rail plans in the United States.
 

"Passenger rail service, especially services at higher and high speeds, will require new safety rules, constant public capital investment and operating subsidies, and balance with freight rail service and the rest of the national transportation system — and currently only some of these elements are in place," according to a GAO report.
 

The United States Conference of Mayors, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and America 2050 — a coalition of regional planners, scholars and policy-makers — back high-speed rail plans. The U.S. High Speed Rail Association is also among the supporters.
 

"Experts in the oil industry have been saying for a number of years now that there is not enough oil left in the ground to continue our current level of consumption, not to mention no way to meet growing demand, and we can expect half as much oil available to us in the next 20 years," said Andy Kunz, president and CEO of the rail association.
 

"If we are to continue economic development and prosperity, we will need to greatly reduce our daily oil consumption, and high-speed rail is the only possible solution that can scale up to meet the growing demand of American mobility while greatly reducing our oil consumption," said Kunz.
 

By David Wilkening