One of the key initiatives in President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan is the establishment of the nation’s first high speed train system. But if Republican candidates for governor get their way, the attempt could be delayed or blocked altogether in many states.
Republicans have made it clear that they are largely opposed to spending on public works projects with the economy in the condition that it is. But a project like this has the potential to be greatly beneficial to the American economy, as well as a convenient alternative for traveling throughout the country.
The development of high-speed trains would be particularly advantageous for college students traveling home for breaks. The planned development of a line traveling from Boston to Washington, D.C. would transport students from one city to the other in just three hours &- a trip that takes anywhere from six and a half hours on an Amtrak Acela train to eight hours on a typical Amtrak regional train. Considering many BU students come from the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, the establishment of a bullet train would make travel home more convenient.
The potential problem comes in cost. The average ticket for an Amtrak train runs travelers more than a plane ticket. If Obama is intent on establishing high-speed trains, there needs to be a way of controlling costs. Even if bullet trains assume the cost of current trains and slower trains’ costs go down in response, the commuter rail industry could see a huge increase in business. But cost is a factor that has historically kept the U.S. train from being a very viable option for many people, and this needs to be addressed.
But if this cost problem were addressed, a better train system would encourage people to travel up and down the coast, increasing tourism profits and generally jumpstarting the economy. If people are given an easy way of getting from Boston to Washington, D.C., they will surely take advantage of it, stimulating spending on not only travel, but at shops, restaurants and tourist attractions in both cities.
Places such as Europe and Japan have used bullet trains for years to great effect. It’s time for the U.S. to follow suit. The improvement of the commuter rail system is a long overdue step to facilitating regional travel and a worthwhile use of government funds.
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