2nd Green Revolution

The United States government announced the recipients of $8 billion in high speed rail stimulus funding today. Three projects will receive the lion’s share of money set aside in last year’s stimulus bill. The projects will be based in California, Illinois, and Florida. According to a press release from The White House, President Obama and Vice-President Biden stated that “the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding $8 billion to states across the country to develop America’s first nationwide program of high-speed intercity passenger rail service.”

The following chart from the Christian Science Monitor via the Associated Press provides a breakdown of the projects receiving more than half a billion dollars: Read the rest of this entry »

In yet another symbol of China’s rapid development and increasing technological prowess, a high-speed train called the Harmony express shortened a previously 11 hour trip across China to a mere 3 hours. The Harmony express raced along the 1,100km (684 mile) route from Guangzhou to the central city of Wuhan at an average speed of 350km per hour (218mph), reaching a top speed of 394km per hour (245mph). Japan’s “Shinkansen” bullet trains and France’s TGV service, two pioneers and models when it comes to high-speed rail, have maximum services speeds of 300km per hour (186mph). The U.S. has the so-called “Express” Acela service from Amtrak which takes 3.5 hours to trundle between New York and Boston, a distance of only 300km (186miles) or roughly 30% of the distance that the new Chinese route can cover in the same time. Here is a summary of the new rail line and China’s rail ambitions by the numbers: Read the rest of this entry »

This is the first in a three part series on certain differences in energy use, efficiency, and lifestyle in Japan. Today’s post will focus on transportation.

Earlier this month we covered National Public Radio’s week-long series looking at high-speed rail prospects and its roadblocks in America. We are curious about your thoughts so please take a moment and vote in our poll.

- Eric Wilson

• A New Yorker leaves a smaller carbon footprint by drinking a French Bordeaux shipped across the Atlantic (2.93 pounds of carbon per bottle) than drinking a Napa Merlot (7.05 pounds).
• Acid-rain levels have dropped 60 percent since the early 1990s; air quality has improved 91 percent in terms of lead content.
• Tossing all the toilet paper in America would save 15 million trees, 17.3 terawatts of electricity, and more than 473 billion gallons of water annually; the environmental impact of bidets is minimal in comparison.
• Many economists now say the costs of building a high-speed rail network far outstrip possible benefits, especially when cars a becoming more energy-efficient. Harvard economist Edward Glaeser pegs the annual environmental benefit for a 240-mile high-speed rail line that attracts 1.5 million riders at $4.2 million.
• Cato scholar Randal O’Toole notes that French and Japanese ride their bullet trains less than 400 miles per year on average, and estimates that an American network would take, at best, 3.5 percent of cars off the road.

Source: Newsweek Magazine (August 24 & 31 issue)

As the final installment in National Public Radio’s week long series on high speed rail, two Chicago based reporters looked at the Midwest region, which hopes to connect 12 major metropolitan cities. Union Station in Chicago is the fourth busiest train station in the nation, having served 3 million people last year.

Under the Midwest high speed rail proposal, Chicago would be the hub. According to NPR reporters, three lines have priority. These include a Saint Louis, Missouri; Detroit, Michigan; and Milwaukee-Madison, Wisconsin line, each of which would emanate from Chicago. The most popular train route from Chicago is currently the “Hiawatha” which runs to Milwaukee.

Back in July Illinois Governor Pat Quinn held a Midwest high speed rail summit which included representatives of eight states: Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, and Illinois. Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm cited estimates that a high speed rail network could provide 57,000 permanent jobs and 15,000 construction jobs. Read the rest of this entry »

Last Thursday, National Public Radio’s week long series investigating high speed rail in the United States took a look at California’s plan as well as those who doubt that train travel is the answer to America’s transportation and energy future.

NPR suggests that California may be the most likely place for a high speed rail line. The state has been working on a plan for 13 years and last year voters approved nearly $10 billion (US) in bonds to fund the project. If completed as planned, California’s high speed rail network will connect San Francisco to San Diego, as well as Los Angeles and Sacramento, in addition to several other cities. California’s High Speed Rail Authority hopes to be ready for construction by 2012, with the help of stimulus money available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The total bill for high speed rail in California would be roughly $45 billion (US). In addition to the high cost, University of Minnesota’s David Levinson claims that the rail is a “solution to a nonexistent problem,” Read the rest of this entry »

Wednesday’s story from National Public Radio week long series on High Speed Rail focused on so-called multimodal design or transportation. This idea goes beyond the rail system and into what happens when riders get off the rail. A major concern for commuters and rail riders is the complete public transportation equation. Once riders arrive at the train station after riding trains (high speed or otherwise), there is often a gap between the intended destination and the station itself. The difficulty arises when trying to finish the trip and reach the destination, not to mention getting to the station in the first place.

In order to achieve these goals, it is imperative to design transportation systems that work in concert with each other. Read the rest of this entry »

NPR reported on Tuesday, as part of their week long series on high speed rail in the United States, that the federal government has already received 278 proposal for rail projects from 40 states and Washington DC. These proposals are competing for the $8 billion (US) made available in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Tuesday’s report was divided into three stories, focusing on the Southeast, Northwest, and Florida, with the former including states from Louisiana to Georgia while the northwest project linked Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

According to the report, Florida has requested $2.5 billion (US) for the first leg (approximately 100 miles) of a statewide system stretching from Orlando to Tampa. They are hoping to be “shovel ready” in time for disbursements of the stimulus funding. NPR reports that Florida has been planning and working on a rail system for 30 years, indicating that it may indeed be ready to begin as soon as the funding is available. Florida’s department of transportation is also seeking funds to develop the next planned rail line which would connect Orlando to Miami.

In the Pacific Northwest, a high speed rail project hopes to link Portland, Oregon with Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. Read the rest of this entry »

Monday marked the beginning of National Public Radio’s week long series on high speed rail in America. The buzz surrounding high speed rail has been growing ever since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law earlier this year by President Obama. NPR reports that some forty states, as well as Washington DC, have submitted proposals for the funding. The $100 billion (US) in proposals are competing for $8 billion (US) available through the stimulus bill.

According to the report, many of the projects would not exceed 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour). However, the California proposal, which includes 800 miles of track, would reach speeds of 220 miles per hour. The only system currently in place that surpasses 150 miles per hour is the Acela line between Washington DC, New York City, and Boston. The average speed though for the Acela is only 80 miles per hour, as it can only travel at the faster speeds for a short stretch of track. NPR states figures that put the price of California’s project in the billions of dollars. “The estimated price tag for the California high-speed-rail project is $40 billion, and expanding this sort of high-speed rail network to the rest of the country would cost in the hundreds of billions of dollars.” Read the rest of this entry »