CREATING A ROBUST AMERICAN PASSENGER RAIL SYSTEM

All Aboard Erie

Edward D’Amato and William Hutchison

 

A network of robust, market-responsive passenger rail services in the US would:

 

1) Alleviate pressure on over-burdened highway and aviation systems.

 

2) Provide more transportation freedom throughout the country, especially as the cost of driving is increasingly a financial burden on American households. 

 

3) Improve the travel experience by creating more choices, with modern passenger rail services with the speed, frequency, personal comforts, and amenities desired by the public.

 

4) Address generational changes which have brought about a market shift that demands more options to driving.

 

5) Maintain mobility for individuals who can’t or don’t want to drive.

 

6) Contribute to the revitalization of downtowns in cities large and small through economic development and job creation around station sites.

 

7) Reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting development. Passenger rail investments promote development and economic growth while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving quality of life for citizens by offering them more freedom to choose how they want to travel.