Super Speed Passenger Trains –
A Solution for Improved Passenger Transport in the United States
By Lawrence S. Gallegos
You might ask “why would the author write an article about Super Speed Passenger Train (SSPT) developments in the United States and present it on a construction jobs web site?" The answer is simple. New jobs!
Since construction of the trans-continental railroads, the interstate highway system, and the national airport system, there has not been another major national transportation program rivaling these vital transportation modes in the United States. In addition to providing historically low cost and convenient passenger transport between major population centers, these modes of transportation generated thousands of sustainable new high paying jobs, spawned new businesses and industries and helped to generate unprecedented economic growth in the United States. Currently, however, increasing traffic congestion, increasing cost of oil, diminishing rights-of-way to expand needed highway and airport facilities, and decreasing air quality caused by polluting automobiles and airplanes, are issues critically challenging our existing transportation modes.
In recognition of these critical challenges, there have been several attempts by state government agencies during the past 20 years to implement SSPT systems as a more sensible alternative to long distance automobile and airplane travel. Systems attempted include the Florida Overland Express (FOX) Super Speed Train project in the mid 1990s, the Anaheim to Las Vegas Super Speed Train Project in the early 1990s, and the Texas Triangle Super Speed Train Project in the early 1990s. Attempts to implement these three systems failed mostly due to lack of a federal policy supporting the development of an alternative SSPT transport system and the inability of overly optimistic private developers to deliver on their promises for high levels of private funding participation. Congress continues to support and fund AMTRAK which currently operates the Northeast Corridor high speed rail passenger service between Newport News, VA, and Boston, MA. However, the traditional railroad technology and infrastructure used by AMTRAK for this service is limited to top speeds of 120 mph, well below the 220 mph top speeds of proven SSPT technologies used in other countries.
While the United States has been unable to implement SSPT service, other leading industrialized countries have already implemented and are expanding SSPT services as an alternative to long distance highway and air travel. There are currently eleven countries: Belgium, China, England, Finland, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and Sweden operating daily SSPT service. Japan was the first country to operate SSPT service in 1964. The first SSPT service in Europe began in 1976. The networks of SSPT service in Europe and Asia are significant. Europe has approximately 2,250 miles of operational SSPT lines. Asia has approximately 1,800 miles of operational SSPT lines. A new 225 mile SSPT system is being constructed in Thailand with operations scheduled to begin by 2010. All of the countries currently operating SSPT services are expanding their systems due to the success of these systems and preferences by passengers for this mode of travel over highway and air travel for inter-city travel.
The reasons travelers prefer to use SSPT services are significant:
- Convenience –
Boarding and off-boarding SSPTs are easier and less cumbersome when compared to boarding and off-boarding airplanes. Unlike when traveling through airports, passengers are not required to arrive at a train station two hours before scheduled departure in order to go through security screening. Passengers on SSPT service are also allowed to carry their luggage on the same vehicle on which they are traveling, and therefore don’t have to wait for their luggage the way they do at airports.
- Comfort -
SSPTs offer wider and more comfortable seating (comparable to first class travel on an airplane) whether traveling in a first class or economy class SSPT vehicle. SSPTs offer television, movie and Internet services. Passengers are able to move from one vehicle to another in wide aisles with access to other game, club, restaurant or business vehicles. The ride on an SSPT is quiet and smooth.
- Safety -
During the past 40 years of operations of SSPTs around the world, there hasn’t been a single accident-caused passenger fatality. In the United States alone, over 44,000 individuals die annually on U.S. highways. The safety record for air passenger travel is exceptional but not as good as the record of the SSPT industry.
- Efficiency –
The operations and maintenance costs per passenger for long distance travel on SSPTs is lower than the operations and maintenance costs of highway/automobile and airport/airline modes of travel.
- Alternative Energy –
SSPTs are powered by electricity using lower amounts of energy per passenger than used by the automobile or airplane.
- Fares –
Fares for SSPT travel are comparable to and in many cases lower than fares for air travel.
Despite failed attempts in Florida, Texas and California-Nevada to implement SSPT programs, there is hope a SSPT system will be implemented and operational in the United States within the next 10 to 20 years. The California Legislature, in an effort to solve the growing problem of air and automobile travel congestion between major population centers in California, created the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) in 1996. The role of the CHSRA is to plan, design, construct and operate a 770-mile super speed rail system serving San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento in the North, and Central Valley, San Diego and Los Angeles in the south. After eleven years of planning and environmental assessments, the Authority is now positioned to implement the first 100-mile segment of the planned California SSPT program. If implemented, the entire program is estimated to cost approximately $44 billion.
Expenditures for development of passenger rail transit are shown to be a worthwhile investment. Research studies sponsored by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) show expenditures for passenger rail programs create a domino effect of economic growth in private real estate development and transit related service industries. Additionally, the combined public/private expenditures result in increased tax revenues. The California SSPT program is estimated to generate approximately 400,000 new jobs over the 20-years of development. Should other states follow the lead of California, the creation of new sustainable jobs in the United States could exceed one million over the next century.
Information sources: Information provided in this paper was taken form the CHSRA website at www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov and from publications on the APTA website at www.apta.com.
About the author:
Lawrence S. Gallegos is the President/CEO of LS Gallegos & Associates Inc, a Project/Construction Management Services company, www.lsgallegos.com. Mr. Gallegos is a long-time advocate of SSPT systems and was an advisory consultant for the SSPT programs in Texas and California-Nevada. He is currently a member of the APTA High-Speed & Intercity Rail Committee. |
Voice: (828)
251.1344