America’s Railways Falling Behind: Can Amtrak’s New High-Speed Trains Save the Day?
America’s railways are lagging far behind the rest of the world, with slower trains, outdated tracks, and dwindling stations. However, Amtrak, the nation’s rail operator, is gearing up to change this grim scenario with the introduction of a cutting-edge fleet of high-speed trains. But here’s the catch – the tracks are too old to support these trains at their full speed.
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Amtrak has placed an order for 28 high-speed trains set to hit the rails as early as 2024. These trains are slated to operate on the Boston to Washington route, promising speeds of up to 200mph, a commonplace feature in rail services across Europe and other developed regions. Unfortunately, upon arrival in America, these trains will be confined to speeds “slower than 110 mph in most segments,” according to a report from Scientific American. The reason? The existing 450-mile stretch lacks modern tracks capable of handling the high-speed capabilities of the new trains. To put it mildly, these trains aren’t angry; they’re just disappointed that they can’t reach their full potential. Photo: Amtrak
This limitation could pose a significant hurdle for President Biden’s ambitious plans to revolutionize America’s railways. Scientific American identifies three major stumbling blocks. First, the outdated tracks are ill-equipped to support modern train speeds. On top of that, the current layout is unsuitable for high-speed trains, riddled with sharp turns, ancient tunnels, overhead power lines, and deteriorating bridges – all factors that impede train velocities. By contrast, countries like Japan and Germany have dedicated high-speed routes specifically designed for their fastest trains, while slower trains operate on simpler tracks.
Then there’s the issue of funding required to drive these transformative efforts and bring American citizens back to the railways. Thus far, Congress and the Biden administration have yet to allocate a budget for the necessary annual improvements to modernize the rail infrastructure, encompassing the construction of new tracks and trains within the United States. Amtrak’s new trains are understandably frustrated with these imposed speed restrictions. Photo: Ed JONES /AFP (Getty Images)
Furthermore, there’s a major challenge stemming from the American rail industry itself. Biden’s plans demand that tracks and trains be manufactured domestically, a stipulation that could hinder progress as “capacity is limited,” as per Scientific American’s findings. The report states that the United States lacks a passenger rail industry capable of producing all the required parts for a high-speed rail system while adhering to Buy America regulations. Moreover, domestically made tracks, signals, rail cars, and software are costlier than imports, primarily because rail funding in the United States has not been on par with that of European and Asian countries.
So, while the addition of a few dozen high-speed trains to the American rail network next year is undoubtedly a positive step, it falls short of being the much-anticipated turning point for train travel in this great nation. It’s akin to eagerly purchasing all the ingredients for mouthwatering brownies, only to realize upon returning home that there’s no oven to bake them in. A collective disappointment awaits.
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