Amtrak seeks role as U.S. HSR “foundation”
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
Amtrak called on the Federal Railroad Administration Monday to be “bold and unambiguous” in recognizing that “Amtrak’s existing national intercity passenger rail system should be recognized in the NRP [National Rail Plan] as the foundation for the development of an expanded network of high speed and conventional rail services spanning key corridors across the United States.”
Amtrak Vice President, Policy and Development Stephen Gardner said, “Amtrak’s current network of high speed services in the Northeast Corridor, short-distance corridor services run in partnership with the states, and overnight long-distance services spanning the nation, is a solid base on which to build a truly 21st century national intercity passenger rail system.
"The NRP should lay out a clear national vision for this network and contain strategies for improving and expanding intercity passenger rail services where such service can advance key national priorities like congestion relief, transportation safety, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and sustainable development,” said Gardner.
In written comments to the FRA, Amtrak said that because it is a company chartered by the federal government, and overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the final NRP should address the department’s views on Amtrak, its future, and its role in delivering the type of modern and efficient intercity passenger rail service envisioned in the preliminary NRP.
Amtrak said it is recommending that “a specific target be set to connect all pairs of metropolitan areas with populations of one million or more, and separated by less than 600 miles, with frequent, reliable, high speed intercity passenger rail service. In addition, matching intercity rail development plans to appropriate markets must be a key aspect of the NRP, [since] in a nation as big as the United States, not all travel markets will require the same levels of service. In some cases, high speed, very frequent rail service may be necessary to create a viable alternative to existing travel options, while conventional intercity service may be more appropriate for other corridors where the market may be smaller.”
