Rail Studies

Reconnecting America's latest analysis of planned transit projects across the United States. The report finds that projects in the construction and final engineering stages alone would connect 3.5 million more jobs in transit - an increase of 25 percent - and nearly 4 million households would gain enhanced transit access, with almost half of those being lower-income households.

Unfortunately, just as Reconnecting America found in its first analysis back in 2008, these projects are starved for funding.

Reconnecting America's "Jumpstarting the Transit Space Race: 2011...

Amtrak's initial look at Next-Generation ("Next-Gen") High-Speed Rail service in the Northeast Corridor.

On May 3, 2011, the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) released a 176-city survey focusing on local transportation infrastructure investments at the National Press Club.

Atlanta (GA) Mayor Kasim Reed, USCM Transportation Committee Chair, delivered the survey findings. Given the economic problems facing the nation, mayors believe it is more important than ever that federal transportation priorities be targeted to metropolitan areas -- home to two-thirds of U.S. residents.

"As the federal government sets priorities for long-term spending and deficit reduction,...

CN has issued its third sustainability report, Delivering Responsibly. This report highlights CN's strategy, programs and achievements in the areas of governance practices, safety initiatives, human resources management, community involvement and environmental sustainability.

Environmental sustainability is a strategic priority for CN, which is focused on lowering emissions, increasing energy efficiency, reducing, reusing and recycling waste and encouraging environmental stewardship.

CN's efforts are driven by the following key initiatives:

• ...

The overall passenger rail market in the United States is growing at an impressive rate, despite chronic underinvestment. However, for high speed rail in particular, the rest of the world (China, Spain, France, Japan, Germany, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Portugal, etc) is investing more aggressively than the U.S. in this efficient and effective mode of transportation.

The U.S. needs to keep up, so that we can remain competitively in the global marketplace, move people quickly and connect our key economic growth centers, create jobs and economic development, protect the environment,...

The United States is currently dependent on imported petroleum, which results in tremendous economic and national security problems.

71% of petroleum use in the United States is in the transportation sector.

Freight rail is more energy efficient than trucking for moving goods, and commuter and intercity passenger rail are more energy efficient than car trips and short-haul air travel for moving people.

American could make great progress towards energy independence by enacting policies to encourage more freight and passengers to move by rail.

This overview of America's Rail System contains information Class I freight railroads, short line (Class II and III) freight railroads, commuter rail, Amtrak intercity passenger rail, the High Speed and Intericy Passenger Rail (HSIPR) program, railroad labor, and the rail industry supply/contracting/vendor industry.

A documentation of the global growth and success of HSR, with a focus on the benefits it can provide by replacing short-haul air travel, replacing some car travel, saving energy, protecting the environment, improving travel safety and reliability, boosting the economy, and encouraging more efficient land use.

A study released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) predicts that as gasoline prices continue increasing, Americans will turn to public transportation in record numbers. APTA is calling on Congress to address this impending demand by providing a greater long-term investment in public transportation.

The analysis reveals if regular gas prices reach $4 a gallon across the nation, as many experts have forecasted, an additional 670 million passenger trips could be expected, resulting in more than 10.8 billion trips per year. If pump prices jump to $5 a gallon...

Major freight railroads are investing a record $12 billion into their infrastructure in 2011, and the needs for investment are expected to increase in the future.

However, there are some legislative and regulatory actions under consideration which could hinder the ability of freight railroads to make these investments in the future.

Go to http://aar.org/GreatExpectations for more information.

McKinsey Global Institute study points out that over last decade, U.S. infrastructure quality ranking fell from 7th to 23rd. 

However, the U.S. still has untapped potential to increase productivity, and we can do that by building 21st century infrastructure.

Setting the Record Straight on Transportation Funding - Roads do not Pay for Themselves.

Mary Meeker (currently with Kleiner Perkins, formerly with Morgan Stanley) observes that in recent decades the United States has been spending less on productive investments, such as infrastructure and education, and more on areas of preservation, such as health care. That combination has caused America to lose its innovation edge.

In the last 40 years, we've pumped the breaks on productivity-enhancing investments in infrastructure, education and technology, while health care and income security costs have accelerated dramatically. Like an aging couple shifting its spending...