High Speed Rail Update

China is leading the world in miles of high speed rail lines with 2,813 miles in operation and another 5,312 under construction. Spain, France, and Japan are all vying for 2nd place. Germany and Italy each have around 600 miles of high speed rail. The U.S.? Zero. But that could soon change. President Obama’s proposed plan to funnel $53 billion dollars into high speed rail projects over the next 6 years has caused many states to line up like bridesmaids ready to catch the high speed rail bouquet. Read on to learn what is currently happening in the financial world of high speed rail.

There’s no denying that high speed rail is an efficient mode of transportation. As Denis Doute, CEO of France’s railway system, SNCF, states:

A single high speed rail line can carry the equivalent of a 10-lane freeway, can be built for much less cost, is cheaper to operate, uses a tiny fraction of the energy (from electricity, not oil), and operates without congestion or delays – especially during rush hour and peak travel days.

What’s not efficient is trying to keep up with where exactly all these federal funds are going. Today marks the deadline for states to bid on an available 2.4 billion dollars worth of federal funding. Here’s a breakdown on where some of the states stand on high speed rail projects:

High Speed Rail Map Projects and Funding: Trains Magazine

Florida: Governor Rick Scott declined 2.4 billion dollars in federal funds to develop a high speed rail line connecting Tampa to Orlando. After questions were raised on his authority to do so, the Florida Supreme Court ruled to dismiss the claims, officially halting the Tampa-Orlando Rail Project in its’ tracks. The Florida high speed rail line would have created 24,000 jobs in the construction phase and according to the latest ridership study, would have had a $10.2 million operating surplus in the first year of operation.

Which means the 2.4 billion dollars is up for grabs and the states making bids are:

Wisconsin: Yes, you read that right- Wisconsin. Governor Scott Walker, the face of high speed rail opposition, now wants $150 million to upgrade Amtrak’s Hiawatha line, running from Milwaukee to Chicago. Ironically, Wisconsin would have already had the money if the governor had accepted federal funds totaling $810 million last year. The Hiawatha line saw record ridership numbers in 2010 and, according to studies by America 2050, is one of the lines with the greatest ridership potential.

Illinois: Benefiting from Walker’s refusal of high speed rail funds, Illinois has already begun work on upgrading the Chicago to St. Louis line from a 79 mph route to a 110 mph route. A popular billboard by Wisconsin’s democratic party read, Dear Scott Walker, Thanks for the money and jobs. Love, Illinois. Illinois could soon be thanking Rick Scott, if  awarded some of the funds from Florida which would further boost the Chicago-St. Louis high speed rail project.

Missouri: To complement the Illinois route, Missouri would use the money for high speed rail service between St. Louis and Kansas City.

California: The California High Speed Rail Authority wants all the Florida money to complete what they call the backbone of the statewide system- Merced to Bakersfield. Though most of the lines are in the planning stage, California is the state with the most ambitious plan for true high speed rail running at 220 mph. And they’re the furthest along the high speed rail track.

New England: Massachusetts is asking for money for upgrades, while governors from Vermont and Rhode Island have teamed up on high speed rail plans in an effort to present a united front in an effort to win money for the New England region. Connecticut has a vision for a New Haven-Hartford-Springfield line.

Amtrak Acela Train

The Northeast Corridor: Considered the most viable region for high speed rail, states along Amtrak’s existing Acela route, which connects Boston to Washington D.C., would benefit from the federal funding to make improvements and further invest in developing a true high speed rail infrastructure. Despite the Acela not meeting the definition of true high speed rail, ridership has been up. This combination of proven success with Amtrak’s inability to run efficiently may open the door for private companies investing in high speed rail in the Northeast.

Ohio: High speed rail across Ohio seems to be dead for now after Governor Kasich turned down $400 million. Though Ohio could be vital to connecting the northeast with the mid-west states, LaHood says that the rejection won’t affect neighboring states’ chances of being granted money.

For more on high speed rail see US High Speed Rail Association and Trains Magazine.

High Speed Trains In The U.S.

With the high speed rail debate officially jumping the tracks into the political arena, American citizens are left to sort through the onslaught of bureaucratic bantering which so often leads to misinformation. The question that’s causing tempers to flare on both sides is whether the government should be funding high speed rail projects across the nation. Many believe that high speed rail is vital to the future of transportation in America.  Yet, all politics aside, is it even feasible now to consider that the U.S. could develop a framework of true and efficient high speed rail?

U.S. GG1 Electric Train From the 50s

At one time, we had the best passenger rail system in the world. But while other countries like France, England, Japan, and China were building their high speed rail lines, the U.S. placed priorities in the auto and airline industries. Now we’re left with crumbling train stations, watching while the price of gas inches toward that $5 a gallon mark. In an effort to play catch-up with those countries in Europe and Asia, the U.S. government is ready to build a high speed rail infrastructure. The question is not should we have high speed rail that rivals the rest of the world (because we should) but can we do it the right way so that the U.S. gets the most benefit out of this most efficient form of travel.

If We Build It, They Will Come

America 2050 Map

According to this report, 9 out of 10 Americans are open to long distance high speed train travel in the United States. America 2050, a national committee devoted to the renewing of the country’s deteriorating infrastructure, talks about an efficiency gap that exists in American transportation when it comes to traveling a distance of 200 to 400 miles. With trains being 3 times as energy efficient as cars and 6 times that of planes per passenger mile, high speed rail can more than fill that gap.

The map above shows the outcome of a recent study by America 2050 on the rail corridors that showed the highest potential for ridership. The darker the red lines, the higher score those routes received. We can also look to Amtrak to predict the success of ridership for high speed trains in the U.S. Last year marked a new annual ridership record for Amtrak, with every route carrying more passengers. And Amtrak doesn’t even operate efficiently. As pointed out in this article, not everyone has to use a community service in order to benefit from it.

Dedicated High Speed Train Tracks: The Key To Efficient Train Travel

Freight Locomotive Assisting Amtrak

For a high speed train to run most efficiently it needs its’ own track. Many current governmental high speed rail projects are calling for trains to run on the already existing network of tracks owned and operated by the nation’s freight railroads. Not only would this cause a slow down of freight trains since they’d have to give the right of way to high speed trains, but the safety issues involved would be unparalleled. Of course the freight railroads aren’t psyched about the idea and are preparing to derail the plans before they get started as explained in this WSJ article. The U.S. has the largest and most successful freight rail system in the world. It would be detrimental to jeopardize this industry in an attempt to get another one up and running due to time and money restraints.

Yet another problem in running on existing track would be the fact that this would not be true high speed rail.  Under current rules set forth by the Federal Railroad Administration, trains cannot exceed 89 mph. Even if the Surface Transportation Board, who overlook the nation’s railways, is willing to raise the maximum train speeds, the freight railroads still have the right to set their own limitations and CSX has already said they won’t allow passenger trains to travel over 90 mph on their tracks. Not exactly the high speed bullet trains we’re used to hearing about in France and China that exceed speeds of 220 mph. The entire design and structure of a high speed train would have to meet guidelines set forth by the FRA in order to run on the same track with a freight train as shown in the above picture where an Amtrak engine needed assistance from a freight engine. Also railroad crossings are designed to safely handle freight trains that typically only run at 50-60 mph.

France's TGV

Anyone who has ever ridden the TGV in France will tell you that it is a smooth and comfortable ride. This is because the train runs on smooth welded track that sits on a concrete base rather than wooden rail ties. According to French rail executive, Denis Doute, who is interested in investing in high speed rail in Texas, the operating costs of a true high speed rail line “are only slightly higher than that of a conventional rail line“. Doute advises the U.S. to have the highest aspirations when it comes to train speed. After all, we already accomplished the 100 mph electric train service back in the 40s and 50s. As he states, “It makes no sense to build rail lines that don’t do better than that”. It should also be noted that there has never been a fatality on a French or Japanese high speed train. All of these issues point to the need of dedicated high speed track to run these trains in the efficient way they are meant to operate.

High Speed Rail In California

Click here to view the embedded video.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority may be on the right track, so to speak, in creating the nation’s first true high speed rail line. It will run on 800 miles of electrified track with speeds up to 220 mph and will be emissions free. Though still in the planning stages, the project is on a schedule to be completed by 2030. The plan involves connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco by building new track, but also by using some existing track along the way. This is where costs could get exorbitant as developers attempt to reach agreements with the freight railroads and may even be forced to purchase land due to eminent domain. However, the California High-Speed Rail Authority is committed to seeking guidance from experienced developers of high speed rail.

For more on high speed rail in California click here.

For more on high speed rail projects across the U.S. see here.

Minneapolis Light Rail- Hiawatha

Light rail is a type of electric railway that runs on right-of-way railroad tracks or on tracks in city streets. Using their own lanes and able to go anywhere, light rail cars mix well in urban settings by not getting caught up in traffic congestion. Though the United States operates the largest and most efficient freight railway system in the world, we have failed when it comes to passenger rail. Europe has surpassed North America in their expansion of electric railways which includes high speed rail and light rail. American cities on the other hand have been designed around our love of the automobile causing urban sprawl and a societal dependency upon car travel. However, many city planners and tax payers are now calling for a public transit renaissance to reduce sprawl, stimulate urban development, and provide commuters with a transportation alternative that’s convenient, fun, and helps reduce their carbon footprint. There are currently 31 U.S. cities with an existing or under construction light rail system and many more cities have light rail in the planning stages. In order for the U.S. to stay competitive with the rest of the world, we must continue this trend in rail travel and the following reasons show why.

Reason #1: Environment

DART- Dallas Light Rail

Light Rail systems run on electricity that can be powered by renewable energy sources: wind, solar, and hydro. Since there is no pollution from a tailpipe, even operating on coal generated electricity, light rail produces considerably less greenhouse emissions per passenger mile than diesel buses. A car’s energy output is approximately 6.350 BTU’s per passenger mile, while light rail uses about 1,150 BTU’s of energy (high-speed rail uses 900). This makes electric rail systems 6 times more efficient than cars. Additionally, light rail transports people more efficiently by yielding a larger rider capacity.

But do people really give up their cars to ride the rails? Absolutely. Evidenced in cities such as Denver, Dallas and Atlanta, light rail increases public transit ridership thereby reducing the dependency on cars and buses. Research shows that light rail attracts more riders than other forms of public transit such as buses. Light rail is quiet, smooth, and more easily accessible and reliable. Not to mention there is a certain romanticism involved in street cars that is non-existent on a bus line. Portland’s light rail system boasts that 75% of their riders own automobiles. Light rail doesn’t just attract commuters, casual riders take advantage of the service as well for such things as shopping and sporting events. With less cars on the road, the overall health of the city would improve. Houston, who made the decision years ago to allocate money towards highway development while Dallas was building DART, has fought with Los Angeles over the years as America’s smoggiest city. Houston has since switched gears to work on their Metro system. Light rail also has the ability to support bike commuters, pedestrians, and disabled riders with convenient street-level boarding.

All of these environmental benefits of light rail combine to reduce our oil consumption and our dependency on foreign oil. Europe, who has been leading the way in both high speed rail and urban light rail systems, consumes less energy than the U.S. This country is responsible for 25% of the worldwide energy consumption with 5% of the global population. According to this report, if Americans used public transportation at the same rate as Europeans, the United States would reduce its dependence on imported oil by more than 40 percent or nearly the amount of oil we import from Saudi Arabia each year.

Reason #2: Development

Streetcar in Portland's Pearl District

Light rail is more than just an eco-friendly way of getting from one place to another. It serves as a pillar around which city neighborhoods and businesses can be developed for sustainable growth. Just as riders are attracted to light rail, so are investors. Before the city of Portland, Oregon began plans for its’ light rail system, MAX, retail and office vacancy rates were on the rise. According to TriMet,  more than $6 billion in development has transpired since the decision to build in 1978. Once an industrial wasteland, Portland’s Pearl District has seen 4.6 million square feet of commercial development with 7,200 new housing units between 1997 and 2005. Ridership on both MAX and the Portland Streetcar system has steadily increased over the past 10 years.

Since the building of DART began in 1996, Dallas has benefited from a 39-53% rise in property values along the rail line. Even in the current economic downfall, investors are spending money in the Dallas area. Greg Biggs, executive director of the real estate firm Cushman Wakefield, credits the interest of development in North Texas’ Telecom Corridor to DART stating that “there seems to be a momentum factor going on here“.

One of the nation’s most flourishing urban neighborhoods is Denver’s LoDo district. Dedicatied to revitalizing and sustaining this historic area of Denver, city planners see the RTD light rail system as the backbone for growth. The building of a light rail system demonstrates an abiding commitment to community services and development, which is exactly what investors want to see.

Reason #3: Economic Sustainablility

Denver Light Rail- RTD

A 2007 article at Forbes named America’s top 5 cities with the most expensive commutes. Houston came it at number 1 with the average commuter spending “20.9% of household costs on getting to work”. Following in Houston’s footsteps were Cleveland, Detroit, Tampa, Kansas City, and Cincinnati. What did all of these cities have in common at the time of the study? All had a small or non-existent rail system, while four out of the 5 cheapest cities for commuters had an extensive rail network. Some of these cities now have light rail in development, including Cleveland and Houston after witnessing the economic success of Dallas.

Though there is much debate over the economic benefits of light rail, with many false claims, studies prove that light rail stimulates the local economy and reduces sprawl.  Every dollar spent on public transit projects generates 6 dollars in the local economy, according to the American Public Transport Association. With the increase in development comes a surge in jobs thus providing the local government a 4-16% gain in tax revenue.

With oil prices rising and light rail cars able to move people more efficiently, the operating cost of light rail compared to a bus line is considerably cheaper. Cities that rely on buses alone for public transit spend more money per passenger than cities with light rail. High ridership numbers allow for lower costs and higher efficiency. Notably, light rail cars have a life expectancy of 30-35 years compared to the 12 year life expectancy of a city bus. But there’s no need to rely on studies alone. Just take a visit to one of the many cities where light rail has revitalized the urban community: Denver, St. Louis, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Dallas, Portland. While you’re there, I know a great way you can get around town.

I’ve never been on a train like this. Here are two superbly designed trains from Japan, that take the idea of ‘child-friendly public transport’ to the next level. Designed by Eiji Mitooka, the two trains seen here are the ‘Omoden’ (toy train) and ‘Ichigo Ec’ (strawberry train). They are a couple of regional trains which travel on a daily basis on the 14.3km Kishigawa line in Japan.

The Japanese are intent on making train travel a more comfortable experience for everyone, women and children especially. Both trains contain hundreds of toys, TV screens showing cartoons, immaculately clean wooden flooring and cots for younger children.

Here is a video of the train’s interior:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Via: DeputyDog