Bob Johnston’s call for developing high-speed rail to alleviate the delays at our airports would seem plausible (Voice of the people, Sept. 24), yet when the economic and market dynamics of rail are considered, the impact on airline traffic would be very minimal, at a very high expense to the taxpayer.
The Midwest high-speed rail program touted by Mr. Johnston will require almost $5 billion of taxpayer funding, and the words “high speed” are not applicable because the trains would not exceed 110 m.p.h. on most of the routes.
This is about what they were capable of 50 years ago, hardly a leap forward in speed, and not at all competitive with air or even the highway, when convenience of the automobile is considered. This would not be a unique type of service level to get people out of their cars and planes.
Airports and highways, with all of their present frustrations, are not a negative economic force in our country. They are mostly paid for by user taxes and allow the generation of trillions of dollars in gross national product by the commerce that takes place over them annually.
Amtrak, our nationalized rail passenger system, generates a negative economic effect through the almost billion-dollar-a-year subsidy required.
After 30 years and billions spent on trains throughout the country, Amtrak has not been able to get more than a tiny fraction of the intercity travel market. Throwing more billions at Amtrak through a bonding or other programs will do little to change that market penetration.
Mr. Johnston mentions the fine trains he experienced in Europe, yet he did not mention the high cost of providing those trains and the recent revolt of motorists in France who, in spite of the fine trains, still like to drive and must pay up to 75 percent of their gasoline costs in taxes to keep those trains running. How much would Mr. Johnston tax the American motorist or airline passenger to build his dream rail network?
There is a role for passenger rail to play in our transportation economy, however it must be based on the marketplace and not on the dreams of some government bureaucrats or wild-eyed rail fans.
Americans will ride trains if they are frequent and go where they want to go, with the speed and convenience of the automobile or airplane.
They will not ride trains based on social reasons or for nostalgia, or do so by the mandate of government.
