Mizutani 1

Claire Mizutani
Mr. Davis
Government
6 November 2016
TRAIN Act of 2016
Rail has been a major form of transportation in the U.S. for people and goods since the
completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 (Abrose 356). The Department of Transportation
(DOT) Federal Rail Administration (FRA) predicts that 16.3 million tons of freight per year will be
moved by rail in 2030 and Amtrak reported that 2015 was its fifth consecutive year carrying over 30
million passengers (Freight Rail Overview; Amtrak National Facts). This data means that the use of rail is
increasing, but like much of American infrastructure, additional tracks are not being constructed to keep
up with demand. Passenger trains and freight trains use the same tracks and this creates a conflict since
both trains cannot use the same track at the same time. The construction of a national high speed rail
system would greatly improve the efficiency of moving both passenger and freight across the country.
When considering improvements to something as monumental as a fundamental infrastructure
redevelopment, there are numerous factors which be considered. Foremost among these include
economic, environmental, and quality of life issues.
The consumer economy of the United States depends on getting people and goods where they
need to be in a cost effective manner. At a conference about infrastructure, former Governor Rendell of
Pennsylvania spoke about how high speed rail would create jobs and open up the housing markets
outside of big cities (High-Speed Train). Because high speed rail can reduce commute times, people
would no longer be forced to live close to their work or endure hours long commutes as can be seen in
those commuting from the Central to Silicon Valleys. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that the
United States should spend at least an additional $150 billion a year on infrastructure through 2020 to
meet its needs. This investment is expected to add about 1.5 percent to annual GDP and create at least 1.8
million jobs(Puentes). While this estimate includes more than just rail, construction of a high speed rail
system would represent a significant percentage. The California High-Speed Rail Authority estimates that
the initial operating section will create 20,000 new jobs and generate an additional 67,000 jobs once the
railway is in operation (Creating Jobs Through). The economic impacts of high speed rail would not
remain exclusive to the design and construction of the project.

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While encouraging economic growth, the world economies are also charged with reducing
environmental impacts, especially with the Paris Accords targeted goals to reduce greenhouse emission
below 1990 levels (2030 Climate &). As the reliance on cars in the U.S. has grown, its carbon footprint
has greatly increased. Emissions from cars account for nearly one-fifth of all U.S. emissions, releasing
approximately 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of gas,
according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (Ioffee). Improving transportation options for passengers
by making rail easier to access than cars will entice people to use rail over automobiles. If rail can be
made appealing and convenient by locating stations in desirable and highly travelled areas, and by
making travel times competitive, more people will use the train. It has been projected that there will be a
1.1% reduction in passenger transportation sector CO2 emissions in 2050 through the use of high speed
rail (Kosinski et al.). This would be a small but positive impact towards reducing the U.S.s carbon
footprint. By reducing the amount of passenger trains on freight lines, more freight can be moved off the
highways and onto the rails, further reducing emissions from trucks. Because of its reduced need for
fossil fuels, rail is a more environmentally friendly option for moving goods and people than by road or
air.
In addition to being good for both the economy and the environment, high speed rail has the
potential to improve quality of life. Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80 percent of Americans access
to high-speed rail. This could allow you to go places in half the time it takes to travel by car. For some
trips, it will be faster than flying without the pat-down.(Obama). High speed rail has the potential to
be much more streamlined and pleasant than air travel. Without the added delays often associated with air
travel, train travel can be less stressful. High speed trains can compete effectively with air transport over
average distances, as they tend to be cheaper, more comfortable but overall faster,(Rodrigue). Current
rail travelers can use Internet enabled devices without restriction and are free to move about the train.
This experience enables passengers to arrive at their destinations well rested and relaxed.
Although the creation of a high speed rail system is a daunting and expensive task, the long term
investment will be worth it. Ongoing experience in Europe and Japan demonstrates that infrastructure
can be updated with effectively while addressing environmental, economic, and safety concerns.
Because of growing demand, ERRAC, the European Rail Research Advisory Council, has proposed the
target of doubling rail passenger traffic and tripling rail freight traffic by the year 2020 (Intelligent
Integration of). Nontraditional sources of funding may need to be considered. Japan has indicated a
willingness to pay for a large amount of the cost Japanese Prime Minister Shinz Abe recently
expressed to President Obama that Japan is ready and willing to help the U.S. implementand fundthis
new technology. Ambassador Sasae referred to this as a great symbol of Japan-U.S. relations kind of
like the transportation version of the cherry blossoms and noted that as one of the closest friends of the

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United States, Japan stands ready to extend all of the necessary technical and even financial support that
the U.S. would need if it decides to proceed with this train. (High-Speed Train).
The creation of a national high speed railroad will ultimately improve the economy, reduce the
U.S.s carbon footprint, and improve the quality of life for Americans. Many other countries use high
speed rail as well as other light rail systems as an efficient way to commute and travel. Most notably,
Japan and Germany are making the rail transportation advancements and applications while the US is
falling behind. With 75% of the roads and highways in the U.S. in poor condition, rail is a safe and
affordable option. By using rail, the amount of wear on highways and roads would be reduced. Trains also
carry more passengers than a bus can and arrivals times are not delayed by highway or road traffic.
Taking people out of their cars and into trains will improve their quality of life, as they no longer will be
stressed about commute traffic and can also work or relax while riding the train. As the population of the
U.S. grows we will need to take steps to retain a robust economy and improve our quality of life, while
balancing the responsibilities of environmental stewardship. Development of an effective and highly
functional high speed rail system would fulfill all three of these objectives.