![\"Interstate](\"https:\/\/www.soulofamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/SistersRails_AndraCTaylorJr_lo.jpg\")
Why is Interstate High-Speed Rail a big deal for us?<\/strong> credit Andra C Taylor, Jr.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Interstate High-Speed Rail is a big deal for America because it represents an economic boost and convenient high-capacity travel in large regions. High-Speed Rail will anchor Amtrak Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Rail & Bus Rapid Transit to complete Sustainable Passenger Transportation infrastructure that helps slow Global Warming. Did I mention that Sustainable Passenger Transportation infrastructure will create several million jobs too? – Thomas Dorsey, Soul Of America Travel<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n In the 19th Century, America built most of its Seaport and Railroad infrastructure that enabled the world’s largest freight movement in the Industrial Age. To the Railroad industry, Passenger service represented bonus revenue on the same tracks. American cities added large Streetcar systems for workers and students.<\/p>\n In the 20th Century, America became the world’s only superpower after World War II. Our political leaders met the challenge of funding Highway and Aviation infrastructure for a fast-growing “Automobile-Jet Culture” that expanded suburbs and created millions of jobs.<\/p>\n In the 21st Century, Global Warming and other factors are forcing every leading nation to build electric-powered Sustainable Passenger Transportation (High-Speed Rail, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, Metro Light Rail, Buses & Cars) coupled with more Sustainable Energy (Wind, Solar, Biofuels, Geothermal) powering electric grids before 2050.<\/p>\n The communist government of China has weak personal property & worker rights. Combined with gargantuan financial commitment, China has built robust Sustainable Passenger Transportation networks in 25 years. The advanced democratic governments of Japan, South Korea, and Western Europe have strong personal property & worker rights. They’ve taken 40-60 years to build robust Sustainable Passenger Transportation networks.<\/p>\n America must look to advanced democracies for leadership on Sustainable Passenger Transportation. Excluding the section titles below, bolded words link to articles or videos that add insights to the journey we must take.<\/p>\n Intercity Passenger Rail is composed of High-Speed Rail (HSR) and Regional Rail. Anyone who rode HSR and Regional Rail in Japan, South Korea or Western Europe knows that America sucks at those Transportation modes. As of 1H 2024, America has less than 100 miles of HSR capable of 140+ mph. We have less than 500 miles of Regional Rail capable of 110 mph.<\/p>\n America 2050 High-Speed Rail Map<\/strong>; source America2050.org<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n After the Vietnam War ended in 1974, it freed up taxpayer funds. If America accelerated HSR & Regional Rail investment then, by 2020 our Interstate HSR System would look like Phase 3 of the America 2050 High-Speed Rail Map combining red, tan, and yellow lines. From 2021-2040, more Regional grey lines would be upgrading to electric-powered Regional Rail or converting to HSR for a robust system accessible to 98% of Americans.<\/p>\n How did the world’s richest country fail at Intercity Passenger Rail?<\/p>\n It’s no mystery. American political leaders\u00a0invested $2 trillion in Highways and $777 billion in Aviation but only $10 billion in Amtrak and other Passenger Rail projects from 1949 to 2017<\/strong><\/a>. Their narrow Transportation vision allowed Intercity Passenger Rail to atrophy rather than upgrade.<\/p>\n We also failed to upgrade & expand Rapid Transit in our large metro areas. Less than $300 billion went to Transit, mostly to local buses and school buses. As a result, too many counties downscaled Metro Heavy Rail projects to lower capacity and slower Metro Light Rail systems. Too many counties downscaled Metro Light Rail projects to lower capacity, slower Bus Rapid Transit projects. Too many appropriately scaled Bus Rapid Transit projects were shelved. Too many metro areas settled for cheap, low-frequency Commuter Rail lines that attract low ridership.<\/p>\n The adverse results are excessive regional flights, lost worker productivity due to highway congestion, less access to jobs by people without cars, more accidents, unacceptably high smog levels, and more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.<\/p>\n Only NYC Metro Area has comprehensive HSR, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, and Metro Light Rail<\/strong><\/a> with high service frequency. One result is the Big Apple has less ozone & GHG emissions than 11 metro areas having one half to 1\/25th of its 21 million population size<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n There is some good news. America is accelerating Sustainable Energy development<\/strong><\/a>. Most power plants fueled by coal and oil have switched to natural gas, wind, solar, and geothermal, energy. Wind & solar energy have grown even faster in the last 10 years<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Though electricity consumption in Transportation and other sectors of the economy is accelerating, we are not meeting that challenge fast enough. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, our electric grid loses 65% of its energy<\/strong><\/a> and limits the amount of solar energy sent to it from other sectors of the economy. Some mega-regions experience Brown-outs too. We must upgrade our electric grid to meet those challenges.<\/p>\nInterstate High Speed Rail Progress<\/h2>\n
America’s Big Fail at Sustainable Transportation<\/h3>\n
![\"America](\"https:\/\/www.soulofamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/America_2050_HSR_Plan.jpg\")
Sustainable Energy, Necessary for Sustainable Transportation<\/h3>\n