Photo from U.S. Department of Transportation
Surprisingly, the United States has never quite adopted rail as public transit as much as one might expect. While places such as Australia or Europe have adopted rail transit as an important cog in their public transit infrastructure, America has never really adopted it the same way. However, that could change with the addition of high speed rail. US President Barack Obama has been pushing for high speed rail and it truly sounds like more of a reality now.
The high speed rail network could include trains that reach speeds up to 240 km/h (150 mph). The first corridors planned in ones in major tourist states such as Florida or California. According to this BBC article, the following routes are planned:
- California corridor : Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego
- Pacific Northwest corridor : Eugene, Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Vancouver British Columbia
- South Central corridor : Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Little Rock
- Gulf Coast corridor : Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Birmingham, Atlanta
- Chicago hub network : Chicago, Milwaukee, Twin Cities, St. Louis, Kansas City, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville
- Florida corridor : Orlando, Tampa, Miami
- Southeast corridor : Washington, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville
- Keystone corridor : Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh
- Empire corridor : New York City, Albany, Buffalo
- Northern New England corridor : Boston, Montreal, Portland, Springfield, New Haven, Albany
This is most definitely an expensive proposition, but is aimed at making individuals less car dependent for longer distances of travel and may in the end have higher payoffs. Perhaps America will become a rail nation afterall?
