America can expect no improvement under the Boomers. When Amtrak recently offered a true high-speed option, to debut in 2040, one Amtrak vice president admitted: “There is no mechanism at the federal level to support this today.”32 Amtrak did announce it was buying newer and faster cars to replace an aging fleet, which will do little unless track stock is upgraded. The American rail system is a bizarre experience for foreign visitors. France has had high-speed trains since 1981, with speeds now averaging over 170 mph on the best lines and despite its imperfections, its system usually has
...more
