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.