High speed passenger rail : viability, challenges and federal role / editor, Augelli Biocchetti.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Biocchetti, Augelli.

Series:

Transportation issues, policies and R&D series.

Transportation issues, policies and R&D

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

High speed trains--Government policy--United States.

High speed trains.

Railroads--United States--Passenger traffic.

Railroads.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (134 pages) : illustrations, maps

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New York : Nova Science Publishers, 2010.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In this text, a strategic vision for high speed rail is offered, particularly in relation to the role that high speed rail can play in the national transportation system, clearly identifying potential objectives and goals for high speed rail systems.

Contents:

Intro

HIGH SPEED PASSENGER RAIL: VIABILITY, CHALLENGES AND FEDERAL ROLE

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Chapter 1 TESTIMONY OF SUSAN A. FLEMING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES, COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

End Notes

Chapter 2 FUTURE DEVELOPMENT WILL DEPEND ON ADDRESSING FINANCIAL AND OTHER CHALLENGES AND ESTABLISHING A CLEAR FEDERAL ROLE

WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY

WHAT GAO RECOMMENDS

WHAT GAO FOUND

ABBREVIATIONS

RESULTS IN BRIEF

BACKGROUND

ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF HIGH SPEED RAIL IS AFFECTED BY MANY CORRIDOR AND SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS, BUT UNCERTAINTIES ABOUT RIDERSHIP AND OTHER ESTIMATES MAKE VIABILITY DETERMINATIONS DIFFICULT

Numerous Corridor and Service Characteristics, and Trade-offs between Service and Costs, Influence a Project's Economic Viability

Uncertainty Regarding Forecasts of Riders and Costs, and How Public Benefits Are Quantified and Valued Make Determinations of a Specific Project's Economic Viability Difficult

Uncertainty and Inaccuracy in Forecasts of Riders and Costs

Lack of Consistency or Standards, and Difficulty in Valuing Public Benefits Relative to Modal Alternatives

HIGH UP-FRONT COSTS ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGE TO HIGH SPEED RAIL DEVELOPMENT, AND CHALLENGES

ALSO EXIST IN SUSTAINING SUPPORT AND BUILDING CONSENSUS

Substantial Up-front Investment Requirements Far Exceed Limited Available Public Funding

Attracting Private Capital Is Also a Challenge, Particularly When the Public Sector Does Not Assume Substantial Financial Risk

Sustaining Public and Political Support over Lengthy Development Process and Reaching Multistakeholder Consensus Will Also Be Challenges.

FEDERAL LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN LIMITED, BUT FOLLOWING REEXAMINATION PRINCIPLES CAN ENSURE THAT THE FEDERAL ROLE IS FOCUSED ON YIELDING MAXIMUM BENEFITS

Federal Leadership Has Been Limited, but Recent Legislation Provides for a Potentially Greater Federal Role

Following Reexamination Principles Can Help Ensure the Federal Role Is Effective and Efficient and Focused on Yielding Maximum Benefits

Identify Areas of Federal Interest, Create Well-Defined Goals, and Establish and Define the Federal Role

Incorporate Performance and Accountability for Results

Employ the Best Analytical Tools and Approaches to Emphasize Return on Investment

Ensure Fiscal Sustainability

CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE ACTION

AGENCY COMMENTS AND OUR EVALUATION

APPENDIX I. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

Structured Interviews with Domestic Project Sponsors

International Case Studies

Case Studies of Terminated Projects

Additional Methodologies

APPENDIX II. DESCRIPTION OF U.S. RAIL CORRIDORS OPERATING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 79 MILES PER HOUR

Washington, D.C.-New York-Boston Corridor

Los Angeles to San Diego Corridor

New York City to Albany/Schenectady Corridor

Harrisburg to Philadelphia Corridor

Chicago to Detroit Corridor

APPENDIX III. DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT U.S. HIGH SPEED RAIL PROPOSALS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PHASE

Atlanta, Georgia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, High Speed Rail Project Project Description

Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., Magnetic Levitation Project

Anaheim, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, Magnetic Levitation Project

Victorville, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, High Speed Rail Project

Los Angeles, California, to San Francisco, California, High Speed Rail Project

Richmond, Virginia, to Hampton Roads, Virginia, High Speed Rail Project.

Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, High Speed Rail Project

Scranton, Pennsylvania, to New York City, New York, High Speed Rail Project

Chicago, Illinois, to Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, High Speed Rail Project

Chicago, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri, High Speed Rail Project

Washington, D.C., to Charlotte, North Carolina, Southeast High Speed Rail Project

APPENDIX IV. DESCRIPTION OF PAST PROJECTS: FLORIDA OVERLAND EXPRESS AND TEXAS TGVPROJECTS

Florida Overland Express (FOX)

Texas TGV

APPENDIX V. DESCRIPTION OF HIGH SPEED RAIL SYSTEMS IN FRANCE, JAPAN, AND SPAIN

France

Japan

Spain

APPENDIX VI. DESCRIPTION OF TRAVEL DEMAND FORECASTING

Travel Demand Modeling

Standard Framework for Travel Demand Modeling

APPENDIX VII. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, TO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR

Project Proposals

Los Angeles-Las Vegas Conventional Rail

Desert Xpress

California-Nevada Super Speed Train

Highway Congestion

Airport Congestion

Planned Capacity Improvements for Highways and Airports

Chapter 3 TESTIMONY OF MATTHEW K. ROSE BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER SOURCES

INDEX

Blank Page.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

1-61324-991-8

OCLC:

758384536