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?
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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.”