The United States is currently experiencing a surge of interest in high-speed railways, with various projects in the works, including the construction of America’s first high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and southern California. However, the U.S. is still behind many other countries, especially China, in terms of high-speed rail infrastructure. China boasts the largest high-speed rail network in the world, with approximately 25,000 miles of track and billions of individual journeys made on its lines each year.
The high-speed rail network in China is largely controlled by the China State Railway Group, a state-run company that has seen significant growth in recent years. The country has been investing heavily in expanding its high-speed rail network, with plans to nearly double the length of the network by 2035. The construction of high-speed rail lines in China has not only connected existing settlements but also created new mega-towns, demonstrating the country’s ambitious approach to infrastructure development.
In the U.S., several proposed high-speed rail lines are still in the early stages of development and have not yet received final approval. These projects include the Dallas-Houston line, which aims to reduce travel time between the two cities to 90 minutes, and plans for high-speed rail lines between Dallas and Fort Worth and Chicago to St. Louis. While some projects have received endorsements and collaborations, work on these lines is not expected to begin in the near future.
Professor Ian Savage, an expert in public transportation, has suggested that high-speed rail may make more sense for China due to its higher population density. However, he also believes that there is a strong case for constructing high-speed rail networks in parts of Texas, where rapid population growth and increased traffic congestion have created a market opportunity for rail travel. The Texas triangle, which includes Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, may be ideal for high-speed rail due to the distances between these cities.
Overall, the U.S. is playing catch-up with countries like China in terms of high-speed rail infrastructure. While there is growing interest and support for high-speed rail projects in the U.S., the development of these projects is still in the planning stages. The success of high-speed rail in China and other countries serves as a model for the potential benefits of investing in high-speed rail networks, not only for improved transportation but also for economic growth and development.
