Biden announced plans to build the first high-speed rail project in U.S. history, from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He said he would invest $8.2 billion to build the first high-speed rail in the United States, build 350 kilometers, and expect to open in 2028, after which the time from Los Angeles to Las Vegas will be shortened to two and a half hours. The news is exciting, but also surprising, given the long-standing reliance on airplanes and automobiles in the United States, and rail passenger services have been neglected.
The United States faces huge challenges in building high-speed rail, including difficulties in technology, capital, land and policy, as well as social, cultural and psychological resistance. In reality, the construction of high-speed rail in the United States may be slower, more expensive, and more expensive than expected, and may not even be completed on time. Thus, high-speed rail in the United States is both a dream and a joke.
America's "high-speed rail dream".
The construction of high-speed rail in the United States has been planned as early as the last century. As early as 1965, the U.S. Congress passed the High-Speed Ground Transportation Act, authorizing the Department of Transportation to conduct research and planning for high-speed rail. In 1970, Amtrak was formed to take over most of the rail passenger service in the United States. In 1974, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the U.S. High-Speed Rail Plan, which proposed the construction of high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor, California, Texas and other places.
However, none of these plans and ideas have been effectively implemented and supported. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States has been subject to various obstacles and setbacks. The main reason for this is a lack of funding and political will.
The construction of high-speed rail in the United States requires huge investment and long-term returns. However, the political system of the United States has led to an unclear distribution of power and responsibilities between the federal and local governments, as well as a game and tug-of-war between political parties and interest groups. The political cycle in the United States has also led to instability and incoherence in policy. Rail passenger services in the United States have been in a state of loss and subsidies, and the public and politicians in the United States also lack awareness and support for the importance and advantages of railroads.
The construction of high-speed rail in the United States also needs to adapt to the social and cultural environment of the United States. The United States is a sparsely populated country where people are Xi to using private cars or airplanes to get around, and railroads are seen as a backward and inefficient mode of transportation. The land ownership system in the United States has also led to the difficulty and cost of land acquisition and demolition. Environmental and safety standards in the United States have also led to the complexity and rigor of the design and construction of high-speed rail.
Therefore, the construction of high-speed rail in the United States has not made substantial progress and results. There is currently only one rail line in the United States, known as "high-speed rail", the Northeast Corridor's Acela Express, which has a top speed of only 240 kilometers per hour and accounts for only 6% of the total passenger traffic in the Northeast Corridor. Rail passenger service in the rest of the U.S. is even worse, with an average speed of only 110 kilometers per hour and frequent delays and accidents.
Difficulties and problems in the construction of high-speed rail in the United States
Although Biden has provided funding and policy support for the construction of high-speed rail in the United States, the project still faces many difficulties and problems.
Funding issues: Underfunding is a major problem. High-speed rail construction requires a lot of investment, and rail passenger service in the United States has been losing money, lacking market competitiveness and social recognition.
Land issues: Land issues are also a challenge. High-speed rail construction requires a lot of land, but land ownership issues in the United States and the influence of environmental, community, historical, cultural and other factors may lead to increased difficulty and cost of land acquisition and demolition.
Technical issues: Technical difficulties are also a problem. The United States does not have its own high-speed rail technology, and there are political and economic barriers to introducing and using foreign high-speed rail technology. In general, the construction of high-speed rail in the United States is not easy, and it requires great efforts and costs, as well as huge challenges and risks.
The above are some examples of the difficulties and problems in the construction of high-speed rail in the United States, and of course there are other aspects, such as market demand, operational efficiency, social impact, etc. In short, the construction of high-speed rail in the United States is not an easy thing to do, nor is it a simple thing. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States requires huge efforts and costs, as well as huge challenges and risks.
The impact and significance of the construction of high-speed rail in the United States: It is mainly reflected in the following aspects
Economic development: The construction of high-speed rail will create a large number of jobs, improve transportation efficiency, and promote regional integration and urban development.
Environmental protection: High-speed rail will reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and protect natural and cultural heritage.
Improving social well-being: High-speed rail will improve people's quality of life, provide more convenient ways to travel, and enhance social connections and exchanges.
Overall, the construction of high-speed rail in the United States will not only contribute to economic development and environmental protection, but also help improve social well-being and enhance the country's image and safety.
Conclusion and evaluation of the construction of high-speed rail in the United States:
The construction of high-speed rail in the United States is a joke because it may not be what you think. It can be slow, expensive, expensive, and not necessarily built on time. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States may also surprise you, because it may have a lot of problems and drawbacks, such as:
It can be slow. The maximum speed of high-speed rail in the United States may only be 240 kilometers per hour, and it can only be reached in a few sections, and most sections may only be 200 kilometers per hour or less. Moreover, the running time of high-speed rail in the United States may also be long, because it has to pass through many stations and obey many speed limits and signals. For example, the high-speed train from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is expected to take 3 hours, while it takes only 4 hours by car and 1 hour by plane.
It can be expensive. The fare of high-speed rail in the United States can be very high, and there are no discounts and subsidies. Fares for high-speed rail in the U.S. may be adjusted based on demand and time, and various fees and taxes apply. For example, a high-speed train from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is expected to cost $100, while a drive costs $20 and a plane ride costs $50.
It can be a money burner. The cost of building high-speed rail in the United States can be high and it may exceed budget and time. The construction cost of high-speed rail in the United States may be affected by various factors, such as land, technology, environment, law, etc. For example, the high-speed rail from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is expected to cost $17 billion, but it may actually cost more, and it may have to be delayed until 2030 or later.
That's the truth about high-speed rail in the United States, and you may be surprised or disappointed, but it's the truth. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States is a dream and a joke. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States may not bring many benefits and influences to the United States, and it may not allow the United States to catch up with or surpass China and other countries. The construction of high-speed rail in the United States may only be a political and image project, or it may be just a castle in the air.
Do you know how fast the domestic high-speed rail is?Little master, will the speed of the American high-speed rail surpass us? 100 help plan