Small But Important Steps in Amtrak's High Speed Rail Plan

Amtrak has unveiled a $117 billion plan to build and increase high speed rail in the U.S.

1 minute read

September 30, 2010, 2:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


Fast Company reviews the plan and finds it a positive step in what is expected to be a very long process.

"Amtrak announced a concept plan today for what would be the United States' first high-speed rail service, connecting Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. The proposed rail line would be completed by 2040, with a launch for some sections as early as 2015. Funding has yet to be finalized, but Amtrak has already requested $2.5 billion from Congress for 2011, and earlier this year Obama earmarked $8 billion of the 2009 stimulus package for high-speed rail service. The rest would come from private investment, according to CEO Joseph Boardman.

With the Next-Generation High-Speed Rail a trip between New York City and Boston would take only 84 minutes, a trek that currently takes over 2.5 hours by Amtrak's Acela train, or four hours by bus."

Tuesday, September 28, 2010 in Fast Company

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