New bullet trains misfire on old U.S. railroad tracks

[marmar]

(E&E News) The first U.S.-made high-speed “bullet” trains will start running as early as 2024 between Boston, New York and Washington, with the promise of cutting transportation emissions by attracting new rail passengers who now drive or fly.

But Amtrak’s plan to run high-speed rail service on its Northeast Corridor faces a major obstacle — the 450-mile route does not have modern tracks that can handle the speed.

Amtrak, a federally owned passenger-rail company, will have to operate the new trains on tracks that were built more than a century ago for much slower commuter and freight service. The bullet cars will be forced to run slower than 110 mph in most segments.

Many European and Asian countries operate high-speed trains around 200 mph on special tracks designed for faster speeds and closed to slower rail cars.

The old rail infrastructure highlights difficulties the Biden administration faces in bringing high-speed passenger rail service to the United States. President Joe Biden last year vowed to help develop high-speed rail as one of 37 “game-changing R&D opportunities” that could help the United States achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. .........(more)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/new-bullet-trains-misfire-on-old-u-s-railroad-tracks/#:~:text=19th%2Dcentury%20tunnels%2C%20century%2D,vice%20president%20of%20Alstom%20USA.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Whatever speeds and track segments they use, hope they get it right

How do you test? Push the speed limits until crashes?

[jimfields33]

2. That's incredible they just figured this out.

Couldn’t they have seen this before building the trains. Wow. Someone needs fired.

[captain queeg]

3. They opened a "high speed" train in Washington a few years ago

High speed being relative. I think maybe 60-70 mph and running on the old tracks. Disaster on its maiden voyage. Jumped the track on a curve. It blocked I5 and I think maybe some people got killed. I don’t know if it’s running now, anyone know?

The conductor failed to slow down sufficiently for the curve which was known to only be good for 35 mph or so. I don’t remember the details.

[RainCaster]

4. There was an automated slow down that failed

It wasn't ready, but nobody knew. At least, that's my memory. There were deaths and a lawsuit or two.

[CrispyQ]

5. We built a world class infrastructure & then didn't maintain or upgrade it.

The sports stadiums though, they're always updated, upgraded, or built new, at our expense.

[captain queeg]

6. Bread and Circus. Or for America it's just circus.

[Charging Triceratops]

7. The only things the US can build ...

are vast fortunes for the very few. The public infrastructure be damned. So sad, but true.

[BComplex]

8. Well, at least we're trying! I'm glad they're at least moving in the right direction!

Let's cross our fingers that they stay at it until it's perfect! Then we can make more of these to replace the highly nasty airline industry.