Forget planes, take trains

A high-speed train

As the world's population think more and more about climate change, it appears that train services are getting a boost as many opt to train by rail then by plane.

With train travel often three to 10 times less C02 intensive than road or air transport, according to the UIC - a Paris-based international organization of the railway sector, many international governments are opting to spend more and more on high-speed rail networks.

China has already taken the lead, by implementing the world's fastest rail line: a dedicated 968-kilometer line linking Wuhan, in the heart of central China, to Guangzhou, on the southeastern coast. With speeds of up to 245mph, the train is able to make the journey from Wuhan to Guangzhou, that used to take 10.5 hours, in less than three.

American rail

America's relationship with rail services has been a tumultuous one with high-speed rail services planned but often facing massive difficulties when acquiring the funds.

US transportation secretary Ray LaHood has often said that a high-speed rail service would benefit the country and has been a supporter of the proposed San Francisco-to-Los Angeles route.

Speaking to reporters last month, LaHood said, "People want this. They come back from Europe or Asia, and people scratch their heads and say, why don't we have high-speed trains here?"

For America, the answer has always been about cost. The cost for the Californian high speed rail system is estimated to cost anywhere between $40-45 billion. Even with state bonds covering almost a quarter of the cost, project planners are relying on federal money and private capital for the rest - and so far, no private investors have materialized.

The authority is applying for $4.7 billion of the $8-billion federal pot, yet there will be heavy political pressure to spread the money across a broad geographical region rather than giving so much to a single state.

LaHood has often cited the rest of the world when it comes to the advantages of high-speed rail saying in December, "Spain and other countries have made huge investments in high-speed rail. They really get this, and I think we get it, too."

And he's right, the rest of the world is also embracing rail.

World-wide rail

With European governments as well as the Chinese embracing high-speed rail, train companies have seen their stocks surge. Montreal-based Bombardier has seen its train subsidiary secure lucrative contracts all over the world including a $383 million from Italy's Trenitalia, $431 million from Germany's BVG, and $4 billion from the Chinese Ministry of Railways.

The transport's green credentials in would appear also help its cause, with many train operates capitalising on it. In Norway, a television ad starts with animated flowers choking on car exhaust fumes and ends with customers riding contentedly, while in France, the state rail operator SNCF is running an "Eco Mobility" campaign, including solar panels that double as advertising signs.

However the main concern for rail companies is cost, something that has benefited budget airlines in past years. In this post-recession, frugal world, cost is a priority for many passengers and if rail is to truly dominate than prices of high-speed rail should be lowered to compete more effectively with airlines.

Relevant articles:

The fastest train in the world | Detroit - home of the electric car? | Boeing 787 Dreamliner to take flight... finally

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: