10 corridors targeted for high-speed rail

[marmar]

from the Philadelphia Inquirer:




Posted on Mon, Aug. 9, 2010

10 corridors targeted for high-speed rail

By Paul Nussbaum
Inquirer Staff Writer


The federal government, since 1991, has designated 10 corridors for high-speed rail development, including the Philadelphia-to-Pittsburgh "Keystone Corridor."

Those "designated corridors" don't include the most heavily traveled one, the Northeast Corridor between Washington and Boston.

Most of the corridor plans involve incremental steps to speed up existing service, rather than installation of true high-speed service with trains traveling at more than 155 m.p.h.

That's much cheaper, allowing passenger trains to share tracks with freight and commuter trains. But it does not allow for the full advantages European or Japanese-style high-speed rail offer, such as dramatic travel-time savings that can make trains competitive with airplanes.

Eventually, the "higher-speed" corridors could be upgraded to true high-speed service, with separate tracks and signal systems. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/100243124.html?page=1&c=y#ixzz0w7Mtt2aN