High Speed Rail. Realistic Dream or Devastating Liability?

The Obama Administration continues to support and propagate the notion that passenger railway infrastructure is a fundamental and key component for economic longevity, growth, and sustainability. Last week, Vice President Biden announced a $58 Billion plan aimed at developing and constructing a national High Speed Rail system. Is this the right move for America? For those of you who still think High Speed Rail is the future. Consider this. Germany, France, The United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, and Austria spend a combined $42 Billion annually on their national passenger railways - a figure that is roughly proportional (based on population size) to the $54 Billion spent on ALL forms of transportation here in the United States. In recent reports of European travel patterns, rail continues to fall in its market share as passengers look to more 'American' forms of travel. In fact, in 2008, the European Airline industry saw its market share jump to 8.6% while train use fell to one of the lowest of all modes. Many are shifting from subsidized public transit to unsubsidized, taxpaying options. No existing passenger train system in the United States and only a handful abroad ever turn a profit or break even. HSR is a system that is highly predicated on geography and population density. The United States is not even in the top-150 nations in terms of population density. It is very clear that only a minute fraction of the American population would benefit from such a system. HSR is an exceptionally expensive, inefficient means of travel that only a few choose to use. It's time that hype and sensationalism meet with reality. The origins of Euro-envy are somewhat convoluted. What is clear is that this sentiment permeates through Leftist culture. Our state economies simply cannot afford the massive fiscal liability High Speed Rail implementation and operation would impose. The Administration has yet to offer any concrete cost analysis for the proposed project. Current measures are already unraveling in California and Florida as state leaders tangle with spiraling costs. With bloating figures and the potential to seriously undermine existing air and bus services, this endeavor could very well become one of the most underutilized and expensive projects in American history.