Barack calls for fast track on rail

US President Barack Obama today announced his intention to create high speed rail systems for the nation’s ten most congested transport corridors.

Acknowledging that the nation’s transport system had aged and needed upgrading, yhe President stated that the new transport infrastructure would ease congestion that cost the country $80 billion in lost productivity.

In line with several other national leaders, Obama has decreed that the global economic downturn can be transformed into a time of opportunity.

In a planned economic rescue package, $8 billion has been earmarked for the implementation of new rail infrastructure.

This amount must be spent within the coming two years.

A further $5billion has been requested to develop rail during the next five years.

Some observers are claiming that the rail programme is the most impactful and ambitious redevelopment of national infrastructure since the highway building programme instigated by President Eisenhower.

The rail scheme announcement appears to have a broad support base and reported reaction has been mostly positive.

The American rail system does not compare well with that of Europe.

Because America has traditionally focused on air and road transport, the country’s one train capable of speeds greater than 100mph is limited to an occasional burst at 80mph because the track is dated and in many places warped.

Californian voters have already approved a train link that would allow the Los Angeles to San Francisco journey to be shortened to two and a half hours.

Several other states have also expressed a desire to participate, including Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, Washington and Columbia.

President Obama seems intent on transforming the way America travels and it seems that he has the support at State level to achieve it.