On the utility and challenges of high-speed rail in the United States

Considerable attention has been given to high-speed rail in the US with the Obama administration's initiatives to invest in its development. This viewpoint discusses the utility of high-speed rail, as well as some major challenges facing its application to the transport geography of the US. High-speed rail has the potential to alleviate automobile and short-haul air traffic congestion in several regional corridors throughout the US, which would have significant economic, environmental, and quality-of-life benefits. Though a national network may not be feasible, a series of interconnected regional corridors would make a de facto national high-speed network that would represent a significant improvement over existing national rail operations, which outside of the Northeast and Pacific Coast are virtually non-existent. However, before this can be achieved major issues of engineering and track right of way, service provision, and stop access require resolution. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.