SNCF Proposes Development of High-Speed Rail in Midwest, Texas, Florida, and California Corridors

[bananas]

From Yonah Freemark at The Transport Politic:

Breaking: SNCF Proposes Development of High-Speed Rail in Midwest, Texas, Florida, and California Corridors

September 19, 2009

SNCF Plans for American High-Speed Rail



» French organization submits detailed proposals for 220 mph train operation.

Last December, Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and Representative John Mica (R-FL) announced that the Federal Railroad Administration would begin accepting Expressions of Interest for the development of high-speed lines in the United States. By February, more than 80 groups, including a number of states, train operators, and train constructors, had sent letters describing their interest in being part of the development of American fast train travel. Final responses were due on September 14th.

I’ve obtained documents that show that SNCF, the French national railroad operator made famous by its development of the TGV system, has responded with detailed descriptions of potential operations in four U.S. corridors, all to benefit from train service at speeds of up to 220 mph. The organization refers to this service as HST 220 (220 mph high-speed trains). With the exception of a description of plans by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, SNCF appears to be the only group that submitted a serious, corridor-based response to FRA’s demand, though infrastructure companies Vinci, Spineq, Cintra, Global Via, and Bouygues all sent in letters promoting rather vague interest in involvement.

There is no funding associated with this call for expressions of interest; it is unrelated to the stimulus. Nonetheless, SNCF’s large response — totaling 1,000 pages — exemplifies the degree to which it sees American corridors as a good investment and suggests that the French company is planning an all-out assault on future U.S. rail operations.

The documents indicate that SNCF “Believe(s) the United States is ideally suited for HSR: it features large metropolitan areas that are relatively far apart, a highly mobile population (2.5 times the European average), and a fast-growing awareness of the importance of the environmental challenges HSR can address.” In addition, SNCF’s response was conditioned on viability: it suggests that high-speed rail investment should only occur where operating and maintenance costs would be covered by rider revenue and that socio-economic benefits offset initial public investments in the system. Based on its conclusions, the corridors it has picked for study would meet those guidelines. This is a wholehearted endorsement of U.S. rail investment from the point of view of a very successful European rail company.

<snip>

The most exciting proposal is the 1,400-mile system it envisions for the Midwest, a network that has never been so fully studied. I’ve detailed SNCF’s proposals for all four of the corridors below.

<snip>

Update: Here are the documents:
Letter | Midwest | Texas | Florida | California

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. This is exciting news...

I hope it comes to fruition!

K&R

[fasttense]

2. So the French are going to build our high speed rails for us.

I thought these infrastructure projects were to bring back American jobs and American manufacturing. Is there any good paying job that can't be sent off shore?

[bananas]

4. No, most of the jobs would still be American.

These are huge construction projects.
The French would be involved in design and management.

[izquierdista]

5. What, no Americans!?

I'm sure there are Americans who have experience in designing and running trains. They might all be over 90, but I'm sure they are out there!

[madokie]

6. I'm thinking that would only be if these people here were the ones doing it

I think when and if HSR does happen it'll be an American company doing it not a French one. Trust me when I say this, we have the people who can do this better or as good as any place does. :hi:

[izquierdista]

7. 'Not invented here' syndrome

One of the most difficult things to get an organization to do is adopt a different technology, as you have to admit that you didn't think of it first. On a country wide level, the process is even more daunting. Japan was really humbled by World War II, so when they desperately needed to improve their crappy industry in the 1950's, they invited an American expert (W. Edwards Deming) to teach them about quality. In Europe, with so many countries bordering each other, if one gets a good idea, the other ones notice and feel no shame in copying what works well.

In contrast, Americans have no humility at all, still proudly proclaiming that they have the best health care in the world. They see no need to adopt anything foreign, except foreign wage scales so they can buy crap from Wal-Mart. I don't think American companies will be doing HSR, because they have no clue what is involved. The relatively small number of American railroad workers are specialized in moving freight, which is as different from passenger service as FedEx is from Delta airlines.

European countries have a 65 year history of continuous improvements to both passenger and freight railways. World War II left the railroads in a rough state, but they were repaired, rerouted, and improved into reliable public infrastructure. I remember taking the train in the US as a small child, but 50 years of neglect has left the US at the point the Europeans were at just after the war -- with a devastated system. It would take the US several years to catch up to even the former Soviet Union, where the trains are slow, but at least they are reliable.

[kristopher]

8. Rec this reply.

[phantom power]

12. A big steaming mug of humility would probably help revitalize our country.

When you are feeling humble, you learn more and work harder.

[newfie11]

3. It's about damn time!

I agree that this should be jobs for American but maybe it will take a french company to hire American workers.

[Kablooie]

9. Where's the Billings to Bismark line? Been waiting for that for years!

[kristopher]

10. In the queu right after the Needles to Barstow line. nt

[Javaman]

11. Man, I would love a Dallas, Austin, San Antonio line. nt

[Terry in Austin]

13. Heck, I'd be glad for car-speed rail

This is great news, and I'm all for it, but I think that getting a few places real fast by rail isn't as good as getting most places pretty fast by rail.

Oh, yeah -- don't sweat the French thing. Once we get a rail system that's at least on a par with, say, Bulgaria, it'll be a much bigger shot in the arm economically than just the refurbishing of some Detroit assembly lines to turn out rolling stock. In fact, later on, with the trains merrily running everywhere, Detroit will have that much better a chance of getting into the act.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

14. Freedom Trains!

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