Kevin Harney

Isn't there one there already. Amtrak Accella lines. But they do not really travel high speed yet only half speed. but the route is in place right ?

graham

From the Whitehouse.gov link (emphasis mine)

So, the blue line on the map (DC to NY) they indicate as an existing high speed rail which can be improved upon.

graham

The new presidential funding could mean that the California High Speed rail gets finished even before the 2020 date.

Warning: audio link - 1:51
KCBS - Obama May Aid CA Rail

Tdave

It's colored blue on that map, not red.

Yes, but it's not high speed. I've traveled the Acela train from DC to NYC. It's just like the normal train except has fewer stops. It might go 10 mph faster in some spots, up to 130 mph according to my handheld GPS. That's not high speed in my book. Heck, I've had my car going faster than that on the race track.

Doesn't high speed rail need new tracks as well? I always picture the trains going through France and Germany at 200+ mph when I think of high speed rail. I guess the reality of what they mean by high speed in the US is lower. That's disappointing.

DRM

I think the slower (~150MPH) speed is more than disappointing, it may be what prevents high-speed rail from taking off in this country. I visit France & Japan quite often and typically use the rail lines to commute b/t cities ... but these cities really aren't that far apart by US standards. To get the same utility out of rail that the Japanese/Europeans do, we will need to go *at least as fast* if not faster than the current best-of-the-best. If we set our sights too low speed-wise, I just don't see mass adoption in this country.

(I'd take a train over flying if it took 2x longer, and be happy doing it)

graham

Agreed. Luckily the California High Speed Rail is still planned for > 200 mph. Hopefully as that gets closer to reality that will be incentive for the rest of the country to go that route as well.

Kevin Harney

Dave,

The Acela trains are up to the task and the tracks are fine but there is so much other traffic on the route that they have to slow down. I agree that it is sub par but just some upgrades are necessary is the impression that I get from what I have read.

doug

I'd really like to see some Shinkansen or TGV level high speed trains in this country. I'll remain hopeful, just as long as they don't start talking about Maglev. Maglev is like the hydrogen fuel cell of high-speed rail. Theoretically possible, technologically interesting, and not worth the cost given the alternatives.




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dpeilow

I wouldn't go as far as to put maglev in the same space as hydrogen fuel cells - it clearly works and does offer some advantages over conventional rail in certain markets. But those markets have to be completely self-contained and either long enough to benefit from its increased speed or with multiple stops to benefit from its acceleration.

They have, however, missed out one route which is at the upper limit of conventional HSR's competitive range here: NYC to Chicago.

doug

I'm don't mean to sound too harsh on Maglev. The technology certainly works. But if they mention Maglev wrt to this initiative, that makes it much less likely for anything useful to come of it.