
Why is the Interstate High-Speed Rail System a big deal for us? Credit Andra C Taylor, Jr.
Interstate High Speed Rail Progress
Interstate High-Speed Rail represents high-capacity travel in our busiest corridors, an economic boost, and millions of jobs for Generations Y & Z. It will anchor upgraded Amtrak Regional Rail and Rapid Transit infrastructure that helps slow Global Warming, reduce smog and cut accidents – Thomas Dorsey, High-Speed Rail Advocate & Travel Publisher
In the 19th Century, America built a seaport and railroad infrastructure that enabled the world’s largest freight movement in the Industrial Age. To the Freight Rail industry, intercity passenger service represented bonus revenue on the same tracks. Private companies added massive streetcar systems in cities.
In the 20th Century, America became the world’s only superpower. After World War II, our politicians funded Highway infrastructure that expanded suburbs and created millions of automotive & oil-related jobs. They also funded Aviation infrastructure that enabled cross-country trips in hours.
In the 21st Century, advanced nations in Asia and Europe are balancing their Aviation, Intercity Passenger Rail, Highway, Rapid Transit & Bikeway infrastructure. Their Complete Passenger Transportation Systems prevent over-taxing any infrastructure mode while increasing mobility options, productivity, and safety.

Complete Passenger Transportation Systems in Western Europe, Japan, China & South Korea; credit USHSRA
Excluding the section titles below, bolded words link to insightful articles or videos about the journey we must take.
America’s Incomplete Passenger Transportation System
Part 1 of this series summarizes how U.S. Passenger Rail fell behind. Though Americans wanted more personal mobility via cars after World War II, powerful corporate lobbies multiplied that demand by influencing politicians to invest over $2 trillion in Highways and $800 billion in Aviation from 1947 to 2020.
In contrast, less than $300 billion was invested in Transit, mostly in local buses & school buses. Every Rapid Transit system was underfunded or canceled, and our first High-Speed Rail project in the NYC-Washington corridor received 1/5th of the needed funding when it was cheap to build.
The former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood says they invested only $10 billion in Intercity Passenger Rail from 1949-2017. Consequently,ย our nation only has 60 miles capable of 160 mph High-Speed Rail (HSR) and less than 500 miles capable of 110-125 mph Regional Rail.
Only NYC Metro Area has a robust network of HSR, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, Metro Light Rail, and ferries that move 10 times more Rapid Transit riders than Chicago and Los Angeles combined.
Our Incomplete Passenger Transportation System is overtaxed with highway congestion that saps productivity and regional flights that amplify boarding, take-off & landing delays. The absence of robust Rapid Transit and world-class Intercity Passenger Rail forces Americans to build more Lanes Per Highway and ride more Vehicle Miles Traveled Per Person than other advanced nations.
A regrettable result is the Transportation Sector also remains America’s largest source of smog and GHG emissions.

Incomplete Passenger Transportation System in America; credit USHSRA
Our Passenger Transportation System is not hopeless. If America increases investment now and adopts best practices, we can complete enough difference-making Intercity Passenger Rail, Rapid Transit, and Dedicated Bikeway projects by 2050 — the date every nation must collectively halt Global Warming.
Advanced democratic governments in Japan, Western Europe, and South Korea have strong personal property and worker rights. They’ve been building & upgrading HSR, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Rail & Tram infrastructure for the last 30-60 years.
The advanced communist government of China has weak personal property and worker rights. That nation has also avoided wars, which frees up taxpayer funds to build more infrastructure. Since 1995, China has built more HSR, Regional Rail, and Metro Heavy Rail mileage than the rest of the world combined.
More Sustainable Energy for A Complete Transportation System
China and America are, respectively, the world’s first and second-largest Electric Vehicle (EV) and Sustainable Energy producers. Wind & solar energy have grown faster in the last 10 years. In America, most power plants fueled by coal and oil have switched to natural gas, wind, solar & geothermal energy. Amazon, Walmart, UPS, and FedEx are switching to EV delivery trucks.
That’s encouraging news but the remaining work is daunting.
Electricity consumption in all economic sectors is accelerating. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, our electric grid loses 65% of its energy and limits solar-powered electricity transferred to it from the Residential and Commercial sectors. Our mega-regions still experience blackouts or brown-outs, particularly Texas.
Those flashing red lights still inform us to upgrade the grid faster into what the electric power industry calls a “Smart Electric Grid” that matches our present and future electricity demand.

Though America has enough natural gas to help fuel power plants somewhat beyond 2075 it’s only a bridge to more wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and safer nuclear energy feeding a Smart Electric Grid. We must also standardize Sustainable Biofuels for airplanes, freight trains, large freight trucks, buses, cargo ships, and cruise ships to cut smog & GHG emissions.
As we’ve seen in the last 20 years, Global Warming effects devastate regions, states, and counties. Every advanced and emerging nation must become Carbon Neutral to stop Global Warming by 2050 or we will suffer catastrophic effects worse than before.
America’s combination of personal property & worker rights, geography, and population density are more similar to Western Europe than China, Japan, and South Korea. Let’s look across the Atlantic for best practices towards a Complete Passenger Transportation System.
The Benefits of 21st-Century Transportation + Smarter Land Zoning
In 1974, France and Italy accelerated electric-powered HSR, Regional Rail, and Rapid Transit projects. In the 1980s-90s, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands did likewise.
Unlike most American cities that tore down central train stations and zoned parking lots around them, Western Europe zoned hotel, residential, and commercial development at central train stations and built Rapid Transit lines to them. Those stations morphed into vibrant Intermodal Transportation Centers that helped revitalize cities and increase tourism.
Western Europe has slightly different descriptions of three Rapid Transit modes. Metro Light Rail is called “Trams.” Metro Heavy Rail (subway & elevated) is called “Metro Rail.” Commuter Rail is called “Suburban Rail.” Western Europe is expanding Trams in 250,000+ population metro areas, expanding Metro Rail in 1+ million population metro areas, upgrading Suburban Rail in all metro areas, converting to biofuel-powered buses, and multiplying Dedicated Bikeway.
When a 2024 report presented at a European Transportation trade show states that up to 81% of people in medium to large European metro areas use Public Transit we should not be surprised. HSR & Regional Rail ridership have also cut regional flights, intercity drives, highway accidents, smog & GHG emissions.

Analysis by the International Union of Railways (UIC) concludes that the life-cycle CO2 footprint of HSR track construction, train construction & operation is 14 to 16 times lower than by automobile or airplane. Those compelling reasons help explain WHY Europe and Asia continue building Intercity Passenger Rail as fast as budgets allow.
HSR, Regional Rail, Suburban Rail, Metro Rail & Trams bring daily crowds into spritely cities without billowing exhaust. Yet, travelers can still enjoy drives on well-maintained tollways through the countryside. In a virtuous cycle, Western Europeans enjoy better mobility than Americans despite fewer Cars Per Household, fewer Lanes Per Highway, fewer Vehicle Miles Traveled Per Person, and fewer Parking Spaces Per Person.
America Can Still Balance Passenger Transportation Infrastructure
In this multi-part series, I illuminate the WHY, HOW and WHERE America needs visionary, yet practical plans for critical 21st-century Transportation and Energy infrastructure by 2050.
Part 2 of this series summarizes the collective benefits that Western Europe, Japan, South Korea, China, and many others already experience from HSR & Regional Rail investments.
Part 3 explains why GHG emissions have reached a tipping point in Global Warming and how smog emissions from the Transportation and Energy sectors are serious public health issues.
Part 4 summarizes the good, bad & ugly of EVs, regional flights, freight trucks, intercity buses, widening highways beyond 8 or 10 lanes, and our electric grid.
Widening freeways beyond 8 or 10 lanes is like
An alcoholic trying to get sober by ordering another round
Part 5 summarizes how the acceleration of Rapid Transit and Dedicated Bikeway projects can enhance mobility in our Top 192 Metro Areas as America grows from 330 million population in 2020 to 390 million by 2050.
Part 6, this page, summarizes HOW and WHERE world-class Intercity Passenger Rail should connect America’s high and medium population corridors. Come along for the journey.
HSR & Regional Rail Anchors To Sustainable Passenger Transportation
Electric-powered HSR checks all the boxes for speed, capacity, frequency, reliability, and safety. It transports the most passengers using the least amount of land without smog & GHG emissions. One high-speed train can transport as many passengers as six Boeing 737 jets each averaging 170 passengers. HSR is perfectly suited for sustainable travel within 500-mile, high-population corridors.
Electric-powered Regional Rail also checks the boxes for speed, capacity, frequency, reliability, and safety with minimal land use. Regional Rail is perfectly suited for sustainable travel within 250-mile, medium-population corridors.

The UIC categorizes Intercity Passenger Rail speeds in kilometers per hour (kph), which I translate to miles per hour (mph). The UIC recognized 200 kph (124 mph) as the minimum Top Speed over most 1st-generation HSR routes and 250 kph (155 mph) as the minimum Top Speed over most 2nd-generation HSR routes.
Since 1981, the UIC also recognized straighter 3rd-generation HSR routes that support high-speed trains up to 280-300 kph (174-186 mph) in 16 countries. More recently, even straighter 4th-generation HSR routes support high-speed trains up to 320-350 kph (199-217 mph) in China, France, Japan, Morocco, and Indonesia.
If you’d like nerdy details into how speed, capacity, frequency, reliability & safety are achieved, see Interstate Passenger Rail Taxonomy.
A Model for Sustainable Passenger Transportation & Smart Electric Grid
In 2024, Amtrak’s combination of Northeast Corridor HSR, Regional, and Long-Distance trains attracted a record 33 million passengers. That sounds good until one compares it to France, a nation slightly smaller than Texas.
SNCF, the French railway agency responsible for Intercity Passenger Rail attracted a staggering 1.3 billion passengers. Let’s glance at HOW France does it with 1/6th of America’s population and 1/10th of our GDP.
In 1946, shortly after World War II, France tasked SNCF to restore railways and train stations in the large metro areas of Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille, and Strasbourg. Paris Metro Rail resumed system expansion and French cities preserved most streetcar tracks.
After losing a major battle in 1954, the French military left Vietnam. That freed up more taxpayer funds for Infrastructure and National Health Care in France.
In 1955, France launched a National Tollway System. To minimize rights-of-way acquisition, they were mostly limited to 4-lane highways. Private companies paid for licenses to build, operate, and maintain the tollways to national standards.
In 1965, SNCF began upgrading Intercity Passenger Rail to 150-200 kph (93-124 mph) speeds and initiated R&D on the world’s fastest HSR project. Budgeted for straighter tunnels, viaducts & embankments between Paris and Lyon, SNCF calls it “Ligne ร Grande Vitesse” (High-Speed Line) or simply LGV. SNCF began upgrading Paris and Lyon train stations too.

Gallery of high-speed trains and regional trains at Gare du Nord, the largest station in Paris; credit Diliff/Wiki
Though SNCF managed electric and diesel-powered trains in cities, it wanted to avoid the cost of new high voltage electric rail infrastructure between cities. So SNCF hired Alstom, a French company, to develop a high-speed train powered by a jet engine. That R&D approach seemed sensible because oil-based jet fuel has a high energy density and imported oil was cheap.
Jet Train showed engineering promise when it sustained 270 kph (168 mph) on the LGV test track. Some of that promise vanished in October 1973.
To the surprise of France, Italy, America, and other nations that backed Israel in a Middle East war, Arab nations in OPEC slapped an oil embargo on them. It hit the French economy particularly hard because that nation doesn’t produce much domestic oil.
Though France had one of the world’s Top 5 Automotive industries in the 1970s, its government pivoted to less imported oil dependency by constructing more nuclear and hydroelectric power plants. That pivot aligned with the French National Authority for Health’s push to reduce coal-fueled power plants because they emit dangerous levels of smog & particulates that increase lung disease.
In 1974, these French Transportation policies accelerated:
โข Conversion of Streetcars to Trams in dedicated lanes having 3X-4X more rider capacity
โข Construction of Metro Rail lines in the 6 largest metro areas
โข Conversion of diesel-powered Suburban Rail &ย Regional Rail to electric-power
โข Conversion of High-Speed Train R&D from jet-fuel to electric-power
Those transportation modes and a paucity of domestic oil influenced France to begin upgrading its electric grid sooner than most.
SNCF spun off an agency to manage the Train ร Grande Vitesse (High-Speed Train) project commonly called TGV. Shortly after the electric-powered TGV demonstrated that it could machine Jet Train speed on the LGV test track in 1979, another milestone sequence unfolded:

In 1981, TGV began commercial operation up to 270 kph (168 mph) on LGV within the 391 kilometers (243 miles) between Paris and Lyon, France’s 1st & 2nd largest metro areas, respectively.
In 1988, SNCF upgraded TGV to operate at 300 kph (186 mph) in the Paris-Lyon corridor.
In 1994, France and the United Kingdom opened the 51-kilometer (31-mile) English Channel Tunnel, enabling Eurostar HSR in the Paris-Lille-London corridor.
In 1996, SNCF and the National Railway Company of Belgium opened 300 kph HSR in the Paris-Lille-Brussels corridor and a London-Lille-Brussels HSR corridor.
In 2001, SNCF extended the first LGV to 660 kilometers (410 miles), enabling a 3-hour TGV Trip Time between Paris and France’s 3rd largest metro area, Marseille. This High-Speed Rail Alliance chart illustrates how HSR reduces Carbon Dioxide emissions and Energy Consumption compared to Highway Travel and Air Travel Modes in the Paris-Lyon-Valence-Avignon-Marseille TGV Corridor.

Paris to Marseille Carbon Emissions & Energy Usage for HSR vs. Car vs. Airplane; credit High-Speed Rail Alliance
In 2007, SNCF introduced a 400 kph (249 mph) 4th-generation HSR route (Nextgen LGV) and upgraded TGV to reach 320 kph (199 mph) between Paris and Strasbourg.
By 2016, the Global Warming Threat, higher electric vehicle manufacturing,ย and higher Intercity Passenger Rail & Rapid Transit ridership inspired France to accelerate Smart Electric Grid upgrades that prevent energy loss and better manage higher demand. France’s Smart Electric Grid completion target is 2035. Along the way, more low-cost wind & solar energy enters the Smart Electric Grid.
In 2021, Alstom purchased Bombardier and became the world’s 2nd largest train maker. Per capita, train-related jobs are as important to France as automobile-related jobs to America. That’s noteworthy because America can rebuild a large ecosystem of train-related jobs too.
Alstom, SNCF, and local transit agencies in France are on pace for 100% conversion to electric-powered HSR, Regional Rail & Suburban Rail between Large (3+ million pop.) and Medium (1.0-2.99 million pop.) metro areas by 2040. That goal combines with 6 metro areas expanding Metro Rail and every French metro area expanding Tram systems to TGV stations.
Every major TGV station hosts multiple Rapid Transit lines, refurbished architecture, cafes, boutiques, gift shops, manned ticket booths, and other amenities. TGV station experiences include fresh pizza, pastry, and coffee aromas. The passenger experience is better on new high-speed trains with better WiFi, bigger windows, better seats, improved lighting, upgraded Cafe Car, and more bike racks.
Higher Speeds Shorten Trip Times & Lengthen Competitive Passenger Rail Distances
Throughout history, travelers have always been attracted to Trip Time Savings produced by higher speeds. Drivers in Western Europe this decade have learned that intercity tollways rarely save Trip Time in the same corridors as HSR.
Excluding the shrinking percentage of “No Speed Limit” mileage on Germany’s Autobahn, top speeds on Western European tollways have stabilized at 120-130 kph (75-81 mph) to cut accidents and reduce emissions. Including toll booths and fuel stops, the fastest intercity drives average 110-120 kph (69-75 mph). Many intercity drivers also incur stiff parking fees at hotels and city garages.
Consequently, the Trip Time Savings and Cost Savings of HSR or Regional Rail + Rapid Transit/Taxi/Uber/Bike/Walking options cut intercity drives in Western Europe.
Total Air Travel Time equals ground transport to the airport, airport queues, flight time, and ground transport time from the airport to the metro area or central city destinations. In Western Europe, Total Air Travel Time for 800 kilometers (497 miles) or shorter regional flights averages about the same as in America.
This chart is my approximation of Intercity Passenger Rail for 3 and 3.5-hour Trip Distances. Average Speeds derived from Top Speeds include “Rule-of-Thumb” distances between stops, slowdowns due to curves, slowdowns in old tunnels, and lower speeds entering & exiting station stops.

Practical 3-Hour & 3.5-Hour Distances for Intercity Passenger Rail worldwide; (c) Soul Of America
Note the 100-mile longer 3.5-hour distance at 168 mph Average Speed vs. 140 mph Average Speed. In a 19-hour workday, a train operator can schedule 2 or 3 more train runs with the same staff. Train operators can also schedule more trains at 140 mph Average Speed vs. 109 mph Average Speed, and so on.
From their own Speed-Distance charts, Western Europe passenger rail & transit agencies found that HSR rides up to 3.5-hour HSR rides + 5 to 45-minute Rapid Transit/Taxi/Uber/Bike/Walk options attract higher ridership than Regional Flights + Rapid Transit/Rental Car/Taxi/Uber options in the same corridor. Consequently, more of them increase ridership with these best practices:
โข Build more 280-360 kph (174-224 mph) HSR routes
โข Upgrade early 200-250 kph (124-155 mph) HSR routes to 230-270 kph (143-168 mph)
โข Upgrade early 150-200 kph (93-124 mph) Regional Rail routes to 180-220 kph (112-137 mph)
โข Introduce cheap, medium, and premium fares in HSR routes
โข Introduce Regional Rail fares competitive with Intercity Bus fares
โข Establish Public-Private-Partnerships that upgrade stations to Intermodal Transportation Centers
โข Build multiple Rapid Transit lines to Intermodal Transportation Centers
They constitute a “Western Europe Cheat Code” for Intercity Passenger Rail, Rapid Transit, and Intermodal Transportation Center development and operations.

inOui high-speed train, a current generation TGV parked at Gare de Nord in Paris; (c) Soul Of America
Given Paris is one of the world’s most attractive destinations, Paris CDG Airport will always be busy. Tourism to Lyon is also growing via frequent TGV service and its central location in France with proximity to the South of France, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain.
The French government wants to spread more international tourism around France andย eliminate regional flights between its metro areas of 250K+ population. To meet those goals, France is investing 100 billion Euros ($102 billion) in Intercity Passenger Rail upgrades from 2024-40.
By 2040, France will have over 3000 LGV miles interconnecting thousands of upgraded Regional Rail miles. High TGV ridership will remain high on routes up to 4 hours because most trips have different origins and endpoints that last 1 to 3.5 hours.
With insights from their Speed-Distance and Ridership Charts, SNCF, TGV, and Alstom reasoned that Nextgen TGV on Nextgen LGV can increase ridership and further reduce intercity drives & regional flights. Along with more Regional Rail upgrades, Paris or Lyon will connect to the Top 25 Destinations in France in under 3.5 hours by 2040.
Nextgen TGV is branded TGV M in France and marketed as Avelia Horizon for global sales. TGV M weighs 30% less and is designed for 30% lower maintenance cost. It is also 20% more energy efficient and has 20% more onboard space than the current TGV.

Like testing delays for Nextgen Boeing jets, similar delays hit TGV M now scheduled to enter commercial operation in late 2025. Nevertheless, interest in Avelia Horizon remains high. Two private train operators in France are purchasing them to compete with TGV M.
The Next Priorities – Train Frequency, Reliability & Safety
After Trip Time Savings, travelers value train frequency, schedule reliability, and safety.
Higher speeds enable more frequent trains/hour via the same number of train sets and the same staffing level. It’s also well proven that 36-92 daily roundtrips, depending on corridor population density, maximize HSR ridership. Similarly, 26-34 daily roundtrips maximize Regional Rail ridership.
Roundtrips in Western Europe HSR routes are increasing due to state-operated high-speed trains from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Eurostar now competing with each other. The entrance of private high-speed train operators means competition will further increase train frequencies yielding lower fares.
High speed isn’t everything. Switzerland is only 22% larger than Maryland and its 6 largest cities are 20-60 miles apart in a single 170-mile zig-zag corridor. Most intercity passenger trains in that Alpine country only run at 180-230 kph (112-143 mph). But their 10-to-20-minute frequency coupled with 98% Schedule Reliability attracts very high per capita ridership.
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands HSR typically operate at 94-97% schedule reliability that clobbers Air Travel schedule reliability.
By 2024-end, TGV has transported over 2 billion passengers without a single passenger death in commercial operation. Though Spain, Italy, and Germany had a few fatal train accidents, their technical causes were fixed. Outstanding safety records resumed.
Benefits Over Costs Suggest Higher TGV M Speeds To Come
To repeat, TGV M is certified to commercially operate up to 400 kph (249 mph) on Nextgen LGV. Initially, TGV management planned commercial operation 10% slower at 360 kph (224 mph) on Nextgen LGV for lower energy & maintenance costs but still produce valuable Trip Time Savings. TGV M would still be constrained to 300 kph (186 mph) on original LGV routes.
As leader of the Paris Climate Agreement since 2016, France has replaced coal-fueled power plants with nuclear, hydroelectric, natural gas, geothermal, wind & solar energy. As a byproduct of the Russia-Ukraine War limiting natural gas supplies to Europe, France is also building wind, solar, and geothermal projects faster. When France completes its Smart Electric Grid by 2035, it will also ban the sale of new gasoline & diesel-burning automobiles.
Consistent with its leadership, France wants to demonstrate lower smog & GHG emissions and higher energy efficiency per passenger-seat-mile for all trains. Thus, TGV M’s planned introduction for commercial operation is revised down to 320 kph (199 mph).

Given international competition is already pushing TGV to sustain profitability and will soon compete on more HSR mileage, I doubt that TGV M’s top speed will remain at 320 kph in the long term.
Over 2027-32, Nextgen LGVs are opening from Bordeaux to Toulouse and from Paris-Lyon LGV to the Swiss border. The French-Italian LGV tunnel under the Alps opens and new LGV from southern France to the Spanish border opens. Germany is upgrading HSR routes from Mannheim, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart to meet Nextgen LGV at two borders with France.
France introduced the first train certified for 360 kph and the first HSR route certified up to 400 kph in commercial operation. France set a speed record for a steel-wheel train at 575 kph (357 mph) on Nextgen LGV, yet no one speaks of France having the world’s fastest trains anymore.
TGV M will replace most current TGV train sets over 2025-32. By the latter year, there will be enough TGV M train sets to justify upgrading LGV system signaling from handling 300-320 kph speeds to handling 300-360 kph speeds in commercial operation.
Last decade Japan matched France with 320 kph trains in commercial operation. In 2017, China became the commercial speed leader with 350 kph (217 mph) trains. Japan plans to match that commercial speed by 2029. California HSR’s 354 kph (220 mph) trains debut in 2031 and the United Kingdom’s 354 kph (220 mph) trains debut in 2032. Making TGV M one of the world’s fastest steel-wheel trains would be good press for Alstom’s global sales.
Anticipate TGV M being unleashed to 224 mph by 2032
Each year more wind & solar power join nuclear & hydropower production and Smart Electric Grid progress to lower electricity unit costs in France. On day 1, TGV M will have a lower “Cost Per Passenger-Seat-Mile” ย than the current TGV at 320 kph. ย With even lower electricity unit costs in the years ahead and higher speeds to complete more daily round trips at the same labor costs, higher profits should result.
There’s one more incentive to unleash 360 kph (224 mph) next decade. The French and British maintain a rivalry of bragging rights over things large and small. Given national pride in TGV, I can’t imagine France allowing the United Kingdom to boast faster trains in 2032.
More Best Practices from German, Italian & Swiss HSR
Germany should be America’s second most important HSR & Regional Rail model because it has a web-like system well suited to Chicago-Midwest and Atlanta-Southeast rail corridors.
Since Germany has a denser population than France, it prioritized building a web-like network of HSR & Regional Rail mileage to attract more passengers per mile than the hub & spoke network of French HSR & Regional Rail, per European Union statistics.
The German company Siemens recently introduced a next-gen high-speed train called “ICE 3neo.” DB, the German railway agency, is upgrading 1st-generation & 2nd-generation HSR routes and building more 3rd-generation HSR routes to enable shorter ICE Trip Times nationwide. Over 2026-40, Germany is connecting ICE HSR lines to borders with French, Belgian, Netherlander, Swiss, Austrian, and Danish HSR to enable shorter ICE Trip Times around Europe.

Switzerland has built 22- and 35-mile rail tunnels under the Alps certified for trains to operate up to 250 kph (155 mph). Their success means we can be confident building shorter HSR tunnels under California, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Tennessee.
To connect more cities to Rome in under 3.5 hours, the Trenitalia rail agency is upgrading its 1st-generation Rome-Florence HSR segment to 270 kph (168 mph). The rest of Italy’s HSR network is being designed for trains to operate at 270-300 kph. Privately owned high-speed trains compete with state-owned high-speed trains, resulting in higher train frequencies and lower fares in Italy.
America Should Prioritize HSR Project Completions
One silver lining to America’s missed opportunities to build Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit cheaper is that we can use the unofficial “Western Europe Cheat Code” to build smarter. We also have a good example of a public-private partnership with the Brightline West HSR project.
Amongst HSR advocates, there is debate over the minimum HSR Top Speeds that America should pursue. Though HSR Advocates prefer 200-220 mph Top Speeds, they are not practical for every corridor.
Since it was developed in conditions more similar to America, I prefer the Western Europe Cheat Code:
โข Upgrade existing railway and highway rights-of-way (ROW) for lower construction costs.
โข Upgrade to 112-137 mph Regional Rail in 3-5 million population corridors
โข Upgrade to 143-155 mph HSR or Build 162-168 mph HSR in 6-10 million population corridors
โข Build 174-220 mph HSR in 11+ million population corridors
1st Public-Owned HSR Funding Priority
America’s Northeast Region has 45 million residents and attracts the most domestic and international visitors. It has the most Rapid Transit lines connecting to intercity and commuter trains. Many train stations are being upgraded. Since 2022, Amtrak Northeast Corridor has received over $16 billion of its $30 billion USDOT commitment for its Phase 1 Upgrade. In the near term,ย Amtrak is upgrading 36 miles in the Boston-Southeastern Connecticut segment and 24 miles in the New Brunswick-Trenton segment for Nextgen Acela trains to reach 160 mph.

Nextgen Acela trains called Avelia Liberty, derived from Avelia Horizon, debut in March 2025. Its tilting feature enables 5-10 mph speed boosts in curves. Rides will be smoother and the onboard experience will be better. The Washington-NYC’s 2-hour 51-minute Trip Time via Old Acela in 2024 should be reduced to 2 hours 42 minutes on Avelia Liberty. Boston-NYC’s 3-hour 35-minute Trip Time via Old Acela should be reduced to 3 hours 30 minutes on Avelia Liberty.
With higher train frequencies and 2 more cabins per train, Nextgen Acela may finally offer lower-cost fares too.
By 2035, completed tunnels, bridges, track, electrical, and signaling projects will upgrade more rural mileage to 160 mph and urban mileage to 90-100 mph. NYC-Washington Avelia Liberty Trip Time should be reduced to 2 hours 30 minutes along with 15-20 minute train frequencies. Boston-NYC Avelia Liberty Trip Time should be reduced to 3 hours 10 minutes along with 30-45 minute train frequencies.
2nd Public-Owned HSR Funding Priority
The 520-mile California HSR Phase 1 project covers the San Francisco-Anaheim corridor with a northern spur to Merced. When complete, it will showcase 220 mph from Merced to Palmdale segment and 90-110 mph in urban areas for a San Francisco-Los Angeles 2 hour 40 minute Express Trip Time. Regional flight delays in California are increasing. California HSR should attract 31 million annual riders by 2040 as the state reaches 40 million population and more people visit.

The state of California is committing up to $31 billion by 2031 toward the $108-$110 billion California HSR project. To date, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has only granted $6.7 billion — barely 6% towards the project.
Fortunately, in 2024, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted $3.4 billion of lead funding for a Commuter Rail tunnel into downtown San Francisco. The FTA also requests a $500 million appropriation for the downtown tunnel project in 2025. California HSR trains will eventually use the same tunnel to downtown San Francisco.
The 171-mile Merced-Bakersfield HSR segment in Central California is on pace to begin commercial operation in late 2030. Many Amtrak San Joaquin riders from Oakland and Sacramento will transfer at California HSR Merced Station for high-speed rides south to Fresno, Kings/Tulare, and Bakersfield.
I can’t predict when federal funding will arrive to spark more state and county funding to extend from Central California to Gilroy and San Jose. Due to politics, personal property rights, environmental clearances, engineering, and construction challenges, all major Highway, Airport, HSR & Rapid Transit projects take 8-14 years to complete in America.
The 450 miles of I-95 Highway between Boston and Washington took over 30 years to complete. We should not be surprised that a straighter 520-mile HSR project with tunnels through two mountain ranges will also take 30 years to complete.
Given that Congress and Presidents via USDOT funded 90-80% of the Interstate Highway System construction for nearly 3 decades, critics should pen their venom at the low-ball federal funding for the California HSR project since 2009.
1st Private-Public-Owned HSR Project Priority
Los Angeles-Las Vegas corridor has the most regional flights in America. Brightline West received a $3 billion federal grant to combine with over $8 billion private funding for its planned 185 mph train service from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, aย suburb 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
Brightline West plans to construct the 218-mile Las Vegas-Victor Valley-Rancho Cucamonga HSR corridor in 4 years by mostly using the I-15 Freeway median.

Brightline West has several years of planning and California HSR lessons learned to minimize mistakes on this mega-project. Despite the best planning, unexpected things often add 1 year to construction. Afterward, 9 months of systems testing is typically required for public utility certification. Therefore, I anticipate Brightline West opening in late 2029 or 2030. That’s still fast.
It will primarily draw ridership from nearly 7 million residents in eastern Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and northern Orange County. For most, Total Trip Time (including drives to/from Rancho Cucamonga) to the Las Vegas Strip will be 3 hours or less.
Later in the 2030s, Brightline West would like to extend HSR tracks from Victor Valley to Palmdale, then switch to California HSR tracks for 1-seat train rides into Burbank Airport Intermodal Station and Los Angeles Union Station in less than 3 hours.
3rd Public HSR-Regional Rail Funding Priority
Chicago is the hub of five major passenger rail corridors. The two largest corridors connect 20 million people in Milwaukee-Chicago-Hammond/Gary-Kalamazoo-Detroit and Chicago-Springfield-St. Louis corridors have ideal spacing for HSR service. Though small Amtrak Regional upgrades were completed in the 2010s, their train speeds & frequencies remain too low to attract high ridership.
Amtrak Hiawatha trains from Milwaukee only reach 79 mph in the 86 miles to Chicago with 7 daily roundtrips that terminate at the north concourse of Chicago Union Station.
Amtrak Wolverine trains from Detroit only reach 110 mph in part of the 237 miles to Chicago with 3 daily roundtrips terminating at the south concourse of Chicago Union Station.
Amtrak Lincoln & Missouri Runner trains from St. Louis only reach 110 mph in part of the 284 miles to Chicago with 5 daily roundtrips terminating at the south concourse of Chicago Union Station.
The main concourse of Chicago Union Station is airy and beautiful, but the lower stairs and boarding platforms are too low and cramped for larger passenger volumes. Oglivie Transit Station hosts Chicago Metro Rail and some Chicago Metra Commuter Rail trains 2 blocks north. The two stations do not connect tracks & platforms for easy transfers. South of Chicago Union Station, Amtrak, and commuter trains cross a maze of freight rail tracks that slow passenger rail speeds and delay freight rail movements.

The Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP) just received a $900 million USDOT grant to combine with state, county & city funding to fix Chicago Union Station and better connect with Oglivie Transit Station. In the next round of USDOT funding, the railway maze of the south of Chicago Union Station should receive a USDOT grant for a Crosstown Connector and more miles of 110 mph passenger track between O’Hare Airport, downtown, and a few miles south of Chicago Union Station.
At current funding levels, train frequencies to Detroit and St. Louis will only rise to 8-10 daily round trips. That’s nowhere close to the HSR potential of a high population density corridor with ideal station spacing over flat land.
Given our political climate, I believe the most practical upgrade for Chicago Hub is to focus on a 323-mile Chicago-Gary-Kalamazoo-Ann Arbor-Detroit HSR corridor where most of the right-of-way is owned by Amtrak or state transportation agencies.
A freight rail company controls about 41 miles between Milwaukee Amtrak Station and the northern Illinois border. Illinois and Indiana manage 4-to-2 tracks of grade-separated, electric commuter rail from The northern Illinois border to Michigan City, Indiana. Amtrak owns 97 miles from Porter, Indiana to Kalamazoo. Michigan owns 135 miles from Kalamazoo to Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit.
High Speed Rail Alliance describes corridor upgrades required in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, but curiously, not Wisconsin. In summary, the route needs a 50-mile high-speed bypass, 60-65 grade separations, modern signaling & electrification, and electric tilt trains to reach 110, 125, 145 and 160 mph in various segments for a difference-making 104 mph Average Speed. Since no major tunnels are required, the existing Amtrak route can remain open during construction, introduce time savings every 3-5 years, and be completed by 2037.
4th Public HSR Funding Priority
Southeast HSR in the Washington-Richmond-Raleigh-Charlotte-Greenville-Atlanta corridor has over 20 million population in the nation’s fastest-growing mega-region. In 2023, the Washington-Richmond-Raleigh segment received $1.8 billion in federal grants to combine with a couple billion more from Amtrak, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Highlights of this funding cycle are a second railway bridge across the Potomac River, mild curve-straitening between Washington DC and Richmond, and the purchase of an S-Line freight rail corridor (below) to create a straighter Passenger Rail route between Richmond and Raleigh.

Raleigh-Richmond S-Line Map; source North Carolina Department of Transportation
When the project is completed, Amtrak plans commercial operation up to 110 mph and 10-12 daily roundtrips in the corridor. Compared to Intercity Passenger Rail in Western Europe, this project is another disappointment. Nor has ROW been purchased for a straighter Raleigh-Greensboro-Charlotte route.
Given the 400-mile corridor’s population, growth rate, and spacing between large metro areas, it’s better suited for 185 mph HSR and 36 daily roundtrip services to cut highway congestion and regional flights between Washington, Richmond, Raleigh-Durham, Greensboro, and Charlotte. To accommodate such speeds, more ROW acquisition is urgently needed before development jacks up ROW costs.
2nd Private HSR Project Priority
Another private company, Texas Central Railway wants to break ground on a 205 mph Dallas-Houston HSR route serving the fast-growing 16+ million-person 240-mile corridor.ย Stations are currently planned a few blocks south of downtown Dallas and in Northwest Houston. Texas Central plans to build Transportation-Oriented Development on land it owns next to stations.
When complete, this project will anchor extensions from Dallas to Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.

Until Texas Central overcomes local NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) obstacles preventing Environmental Clearance and ROW Acquisition, the 100% Engineering Design required for Construction Start is delayed. Perhaps its recent Amtrak partnership will help break the logjam.
Accelerate More Interstate HSR Projects To Enter Construction
California HSR Phase 1 is a 36-million pop., 520-mile HSR corridor that requires long tunnels and 220 mph Top Speed. America has many other high-traffic 250 to 450-mile corridors ideal for 155-200 mph HSR projects that don’t need expensive long tunnels. If Federal Railroad funding is boosted, then more states and private investors will fund these HSR projects to enter construction over 2026-30:
โข Chicago-Springfield-St Louis
โข Philadelphia-Harrisburg
โข Atlanta-Greenville-Charlotte
โข Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville
โข Atlanta-Macon-Jacksonville-Orlando
โข Pittsburgh-Cleveland-Toledo-Detroit
โข Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati
โข Minneapolis-Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago
โข Gary/Hammond-Indianapolis-Louisville
โข Rancho Cucamonga-Palm Springs-Phoenix
โข Portland-Seattle-Vancouver
โข NYC-Albany
Combined with the current HSR projects, the majority of Americans would finally believe that a robust Interstate HSR System is underway.
Upgrades for Public & Private Regional Rail
By December 2024, monthly ridership in most of the 25 state-supported Amtrak Regional routes approached pre-pandemic levels. To HSR advocates, that’s not much to celebrate because a dozen of them merit 155+ mph HSR upgrades. Amtrak Keystone between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, listed above, is one of them.
The remaining Amtrak Regional routes in sub-250-mile corridors merit 110-125 mph Regional Rail upgrades. Amtrak’s 3rd highest ridership Regional Rail route is a prime example. With only 128 miles between the 19 million population Los Angeles Metro Area and the 3.4 million population San Diego Metro Area, the corridor has massive ridership potential.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metrolink commuter rail, COASTER commuter rail, and freight rail share that corridor. Some freight rail goes from San Diego Seaport to Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in northern San Diego County. By 2031, Los Angeles Union Station will have run-thru tracks that shave several minutes from LA-San Diego Trip Time.
Though Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metrolink, and COASTER have low-emission diesel-electric locomotives, corridor mileage has too much Single Track limiting train speeds and frequencies. Since coastal bluffs are eroding, nearby tracks often close during winter storms for emergency repairs.
At the current funding pace, the corridor’s Regional Rail upgrade would likely be completed between 2043-44. Exhausted LA-San Diego commuters, travelers, and freight rail companies can’t wait that long.

The state of California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, and a freight rail company are committing funds to make at least 2 main tracks and more siding track for freight trains this corridor. It still needs federal funding for railroad over/underpasses, 3 tunnels, and electric train infrastructure to achieve Regional Rail status by 2037.
Once the corridor reaches Regional Rail status, a combination of Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metrolink, and COASTER trains can sustain 110 mph and 76 daily roundtrips for 5X ridership compared to 2019. That will make a huge dent in adjacent freeway congestion, smog & GHG emissions.
Florida is fortunate to have the private-owned Brightline Florida Regional Rail operator between Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando Airport featuring 16 daily round trips. Their station experience, passenger experience, and low-emission diesel-electric trains are top-shelf. Later this decade, Brightline Florida will benefit from a new St. Lucie River Bridge and expand to Disney Springs.

Brightline Florida can not, however, approach its ridership potential until it elevates from 79 mph to 110 mph top speed through urban areas and reaches 36 daily roundtrips. To reach those goals, another river bridge must be replaced, 50 railroad overpasses must be built, and 25-30 level railroad crossings must be closed, and the entire route must fenced for safety.
Railroad overpasses are public-owned and cost $80-$125 million each. Like other states, Florida taxpayers must commit billions in funding for railroad overpasses. A street closure costs less than $150,000. When those railroad overpasses and street closures are implemented, Brightline can fence the tracks to safely reach 110 mph in urban areas and 125 mph in rural areas.
Only then can Brightline Florida reach its speed, frequency, safety, reliability, and ridership potential in the Tampa-Lakeland-Disney Springs-Orlando Airport-West Palm Beach-Baca Raton-Fort Lauderdale-Aventura-Miami corridor.
A New Era for Sustainable Passenger Transportation?
In November 2021, the 5-year Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was signed enabling expansion of the total FY2022 USDOT budget for Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit projects. Infrastructure Week was no longer a running joke in government circles. The larger budget for USDOT grants arrived in 2022 and triggered states, counties & private companies to announce more Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit projects.
My conclusion in Part 7 summarizes HOW much public and private funding is needed and potentially obtainable for robust a Interstate High-Speed Rail System and upgraded Regional Rail.