The planned train route between Las Vegas and Los Angeles by Brightline is considered the first true high-speed train in the United States.
Massive Investment in Passenger Rail
The U.S. Department of Transportation is releasing $8.2 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 to help fund 10 passenger rail projects across the country, including about $3.1 billion for California to complete the first 171 miles of a $100 billion high-speed rail system, and $3 billion for Brightline West, a high-speed line stretching 218 miles from Las Vegas to the suburbs of Los Angeles. Additional grants will improve congested passenger rail corridors in Virginia, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., and upgrade Union Station in Chicago.
Focus on Public-Private Partnerships
Should the U.S. focus more on public-private partnerships like the train between Las Vegas and Southern California to build more high-speed trains?
“I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. When it comes to high-speed rail, most projects, if not all, are public,” said Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to the White House and infrastructure coordinator. “Brightline in Florida is mostly private. This project is somewhat of a true hybrid.”
High-Speed Trains in the U.S. and Worldwide
Japanese bullet trains were launched six decades ago, and high-speed trains now connect major cities across Europe, South Korea, Taiwan, and especially China, which has a massive 26,000-mile network. New high-speed trains are also racing in Morocco, the Saudi Arabian desert, and Java, Indonesia, at speeds of 180 miles per hour or more. Currently, the fastest train in the U.S. is the Acela on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between New York and Boston, which reaches speeds of up to 150 miles per hour in some limited segments. (The Biden administration announced $16.4 billion in Infrastructure Law funding last month to upgrade tracks, bridges, tunnels, and new faster trains to help the Acela travel at speeds of up to 160 miles per hour.)
High-Speed Rail Projects Funded Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Wes Edens, the billionaire in private equity who operates passenger trains connecting Orlando to Miami, is raising at least $9 billion in private funds in addition to the government grant. Brightline has stated that building the tracks for the train through the desert will take about just two years. It starts in downtown Las Vegas and ends in Rancho Cucamonga, California, about an hour from downtown Los Angeles. However, it connects to a public transit rail line there to take people to the second largest city in the United States.
Edens is exploring additional locations to build more high-speed trains, placing them alongside existing highways that connect major cities with at-grade tracks to reduce construction costs. These systems include linking Atlanta to Charlotte and cities in Texas, Los Angeles, and San Diego, although Brightline has not announced plans to move forward with those projects.
Focus on Public-Private Partnerships
Should the U.S. focus more on public-private partnerships like the train between Las Vegas and Southern California to build more high-speed trains?
“I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all solution. When it comes to high-speed rail, most projects, if not all, are public,” said Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to the White House and infrastructure coordinator. “Brightline in Florida is mostly private. This project is somewhat of a true hybrid.”
He believes
Former New Orleans Mayor also said it would be a game changer. “Brightline West is a game-changing project because it meets all the requirements,” Landrieu said. “It’s a public-private partnership being built quickly. Union work is a big part of it. It has great climate expectations. It’s moving very fast. People will love it. And when they see it, they’ll say, ‘I want more of that.’”
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