Don’t waste our money on “high-speed” (fast) rail; we had those speeds 70 years ago.

We need a world-class high-speed rail system, Maglev (bullet trains 200+). A national high-speed (bullet) rail is viable in the US; it has been recommended for our long-term transportation needs by independent government reports for several years now. However, up until recently it was strongly opposed by the air travel industry and highway lobby. The benchmark report on this is (GAO-02-185).

I am going to try and quickly answer some of the questions and comments:

According to the state of California, high-speed rail will cost 1/3 that cost of airport expansions (6,500 US airports); unlike commercial aviation, it is sustainable; it would reduce the amount of flights and congestion by more than 50%, while reducing road congestion measurably; it would create millions of new jobs and thousands of spin-off businesses.

It is a law that they must use off the self technology that is tested and ready to go, so the turn around time is very short.

There is a white paper by top experts that has a short-long term plan/ concept that is embraced by at least 2 airlines and the International Air transport Association, which includes high-speed rail as a medium long-term solution. If asked, I will try to post.

Train travel is subsidize; however, much less than aviation. Travel by air has lost scores of billions since its introduction. It gets about 100 billion dollars every 3 years or so, in tax money and handouts from local, state and federal governments; Amtrak, about 1-1/2 billion annually.

According to the DOT: Air travel only averages about 60MPH, door-to-door, for regional travel (about 500 miles).

All that said… and keeping in mind that airports are generally owned by local governments and are cash cows, until the old guard wastes all of our tax dollars on their projects and the tide turns, I see little change in the status quo. It is your money, or what is left that they are wasting.

BTW: with the new technology that they used in China, maglev is as cheap or perhaps even cheaper than fast rail (high-speed).

Maglev would be much cheaper than commercial air travel.

Dispelling the myths: Transporting America Beyond Trains, Planes, Automobiles… and Oil
http://www.parallaxfilm.com/ue-maglev.htm