Taking the train may make a comeback as a more popular travel option, but in a different form than has been seen in the past.
Alabama joined six other states to form a coalition to develop a form of high-speed intercity rail connectivity in the Southeast.
High-speed rail transportation is a passenger train that can reach speeds up to 150 miles per hour.
"Top speeds would likely be reached only on specially designed and dedicated tracks," said Jim Plott of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. "This is more practical in densely populated areas with sufficient demand to support numerous trains per day." be the starting point for the high-speed rail plan.
"One of the problems is the U.S. rail system is the tracks are shared with freight trains," said Larry Childers of ADECA. "That slows things down because they are not built for speed."
According to Amtrak, a train ride from Birmingham to Atlanta takes over four hours. "Although feasibility studies have not been completed," Plott said. "Passenger trains in Alabama will probably make use of existing freight rails and perhaps be limited toatopspeedof79to90 mph."
Plott said transportation by train has some advantages over driving.
"One of the main advantages to high-speed rail transportation is that, depending on distance and highway congestion, it can get you from one location to the next faster than traveling in an automobile," Plott said. "In addition, a study prepared by the U. S. Department of Energy found that rail travel required (less energy) per passenger mile than travel by automobile."
Another advantage is the impact on the environment. "A passenger rail system could have many advantages including less dependence on foreign oil, reduced pollution from gas-burning vehicles, and less highway traffic which could enhance safety and reduce wear and tear on highways," Plott said.
The concept is still in the early phases of development and there are elements to the construction that have to be taken into account, Childers said.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, President Obama has proposed to begin an ongoing investment in his 2010 budget proposal, which calls for high-speed rail funding of $1 billion per year for five years.
"We are encouraged by the heightened interest of the current federal administration," Plott said.
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