Helped by federal funds and private investment, a major push for passenger rail

December 27, 2023

It’s the question rail enthusiasts have posed for years: When might U.S. train travel start to more closely resemble that of Europe and Asia?

………

But even as the federal government pours money into improving the nation’s rail system, experts caution the ultimate benefits of these investments remain a long way off.

“Eventually, it’s going to make a big difference,” James Hughes, distinguished professor of urban planning and policy development at Rutgers University, said. His work focuses heavily on the Northeast Corridor.

“The problem is, ‘eventually’ can be a very long time,” Hughes added, noting that much of this infrastructure funding is, first and foremost, designed to bring crumbling rail facilities up to date.

“It’s been on a starvation diet for decades and decades,” he said. “So we have to make up for that.”

The Points Guy, December 26, 2023

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