The country's inter-city rail network needs to be modernised and expanded to cope with new demand and offer people choice, said the National Association of Railroad Passengers as it celebrated its 40th birthday.
NARP believes that with petrol expected to cost $4 a gallon soon, rail is the obvious alternative which will help to reduce carbon emissions and the country's dependence on oil while facilitating the efficient movement of people and
goods.
NARP is calling on American politicians and planners to adopt a nationwide "grid and gateway" train network.
The gateways are major terminals, in many cases served by high-frequency, high-speed services, and the grid
is an expanded national passenger train network connecting all major metropolitan areas.
The vision also includes a dramatic improvement in inter-city links to airports, a concept where the US lags behind Europe.
A map of the proposed "grid and gateway" network and information on its benefits can be downloaded from Narprail Click on the 40th anniversary banner.
"In the near future, road and air congestion, worldwide competition for oil, and growing environmental concerns will make $4 a gallon gas seem cheap, today's traffic jams modest, and affordable flights a distant memory," said George Chilson, president of NARP.
"Modernizing our rail network through a public-private partnership in which the federal government takes the lead is one of the most effective things we can do today to ensure our quality of life tomorrow. The US is falling further behind the rest of the world in building a modern rail system. We know what is coming. We have an obligation to act now before it is too late."
NARP's goal is to have a nationwide "grid and gateway" system fully in place in the next 40 years, which can be achieved by using existing resources.
Public policy should:
- Incorporate existing services, rail lines, and rights of way as well as corridor proposals already underway by states, localities, and freight railroads into a comprehensive national system
- Upgrade bottlenecks and capacity-constrained corridors already identified as causing congestion for passenger and freight rail
- Support and enable future high-speed service in the most heavily travelled corridors
"Increasing the federal commitment to a national network will make rail service more attractive to shippers and travellers," said Ross Capon, executive director of NARP.
"It will give people a safe, convenient, affordable, environmentally sound and energy-efficient alternative to
flying and driving. It is in the national interest for the US to get started now on a serious expansion of rail that is long overdue."
Over the past 40 years, NARP has fought off attempts to eliminate Amtrak funding, and have helped to improve rail travel in the US, highlighting punctuality by passenger and freight railroads, better-designed equipment and amenities on Amtrak trains, and new or reintroduced passenger rail corridors in Maine, California, Illinois, Washington and
elsewhere.
NARP is the largest national membership advocacy organisation for rail passengers. It has worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger rail in the US. Its mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Its work is supported by
over 23,000 individual members.
Narprail
More info from: Ross Capon or David Johnson narp at narprail.org