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New High-Speed Rail Plan Announced


U.S. Department of Transportation
Could a 90 minute train trip between Austin and Dallas someday be possible? Today the popular choices are plane (50 minutes), car (three hours), bus (four hours), and train (best-case about 4 ½ hours). On Thursday, April 16, 2009, the President offered another alternative: his vision of multiple high-speed rail corridors within the United States that included Austin. “My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the way we travel in America. We must start developing clean, energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for centuries to come,” said President Obama. A down payment on the plan of $8B was included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and another $1B was added in the proposed FY2010 budget. Cost estimates for the high-speed rail range from $250B to $500B.


The most likely initial implementation will be along the densely populated east-coast corridors. A recent study claimed: “The authors could not identify much more than 350 miles of new Rapid Rail in the USA that would be cost effective, so, like France today, the bulk of the expansion would likely be in Light Rail and Streetcars.” Further details on the rail plan can be found here.

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By Thinman in on April 22, 2009 9:20 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

  • This is something people need to know about. Your blog is really incredible and the
    design is really top notch. Really, your blog is incredible.
  • This is indeed a problem worthy of attention.
    We should take the time to consider carefully.
  • Are you going to have a party?
  • bustyredhead

    I wonder what Wyoming and South Dakota did to piss off Obama.

  • YoYoMa

    Actually, whoops, that's Portland, Maine at the terminus. Houston-Portland, Maine and Houston-Montreal, but not Houston-Austin/San Antonio.

  • YoYoMa

    I know this isn't any kind of real plan yet, but I love how Houston is connected to Montreal and Boston with high speed rail, yet it's not connected to Austin/San Antonio/Dallas, except by current crap-rail.



    Also, they ran a high speed line down the entire eastern seaboard, including Jacksonville, FL, but they can't bother to connect down to the high speed area of Orlando/Tampa/Miami?

  • that will define our regions for centuries to come
  • _Sean_

    Ha ha, funny about the Simpsons. That was a great episode. On topic, it would be one wet dream to be able to hop on a train and be @ a MLB game in Houston or Dallas in that short amount of time and not have to drive. Drink and let Monorail do the driving!

  • This is very nice article or i think its very good informative for readers or i appreciate the writer of this article because writer write a amazing article
  • chuckepants

    Q: Is there a chance the track could bend?!

  • Gosh I'm so glad the confirmation came through I thought maybe I'd have to fiddle around with cookies!



    Anyway, thank you for posting this on Earth Day.

    Best wishes

  • The opening of the new high-speed railway make people go out much more convenient
  • elvislives

    Best. Simpsons Episode. Ever.

  • causal observer

    Monorail! MONORail! MONORAIL!

  • The authors could not identify much more than 350 miles of new Rapid
    Rail in the USA that would be cost effective, so, like France today, the
    bulk of the expansion would likely be in Light Rail and Streetcars.

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  • “My high-speed rail proposal will lead to innovations that change the
    way we travel in America. We must start developing clean,
    energy-efficient transportation that will define our regions for
    centuries to come
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