ABSTRACT

Over the past decade in N orth America, there has been a renewed interest in providing fast and reliable intercity passenger rail services. This interest has been driven by increasing traffic congestion on high­ ways and at airports, in addition to environmental concerns. The success of new rail passenger systems in other countries has also fueled interest in N orth America. A variety of technological options have been proposed, from upgraded conventional rail services to new intercity “high-speed rail” (HSR) systems. Numerous proposals for specific service and technology scenarios have been considered in a variety of corridors and states.