Trains were once the transportation backbone for people and goods in the United States, until the car and truck came along. Of course, the car gave individuals great freedom of movement in time and place, and that is why they are so difficult to leave behind. This car dependence has had a dramatic effect on the development of land in the U.S., with a tremendous amount of sprawl that has tracked the increase in car ownership. There are those of a certain generation, and older, that remember what it used to be like to be able to go for a leisurely drive, with hardly a car in sight on a country road. That was a very nice time, but, I’m afraid it has come to an end, and what about the experience of those who live in large metropolitan areas? Los Angeles has been a traffic nightmare since the late sixties, and pretty much anyone traveling the interstates in the eastern half of the U.S. knows that it is chock-a-block with traffic most days of the week, especially with semi-trailers, and you can forget about holidays altogether!

Well, here is a little article about the future of trains in the United States. Many agree that the time has come for high speed trains to take their place in our traveling pantheon, but the future of trains is uncertain, mainly due to the cost per mile to build both track and sophisticated trains incorporating maglev or electromagnetic suspension technology. One way or another, though, the massive gridlock on highways must be reduced. Of course, the whole issue of gas usage in cars has become painful again, as oil recently hovered near $100 per barrel. The article includes some estimates on how green train usage might be, compared with car and airplane travel. Needless to say, the trains may be powered through electricity, and that may be generated through coal, so there are significant environmental issues to be dealt with in this dream of re-inventing trains for America.

• High Speed Trains in the U.S.