Fast Trains to Connect US Cities, Alleviate Highway Congestion

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Lora Kolodny began reporting on business, technology and entertainment in 2002. She has worked as greentech writer and editor at TechCrunch, and as a staff reporter for Inc. magazine and The Hollywood Reporter. Her New York Times blog, “The Prize,” covered the winners, losers, innovation and deal-making of business competitions. → Learn More

The Obama administration back in January promised $8 billion in funding for cities and states to build high-speed, intercity rail projects.

This week, the Department of Transporation issued its specifications for the manufacture of new fast trains, namely double-decker coach, dining, baggage, and business class passenger rail cars that can travel between 79 MPH and up to 220 MPH.

Bi-level rail cars not typical in the US today, would accommodate more passengers, and hopefully alleviate congested roads and some resulting air pollution.

According to the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) 95 percent of passenger travel in America is made by car, motorcycle and truck on our highways now.

Expanding highway capacity and overhauling busted roads with more durable and sustainable materials can prevent some traffic jams. But even highway professionals advocate building efficient, intercity, high speed trains and upgrading our freight rail systems.

Wireless companies like Groundlink and D-Link could win business rigging new high speed trains with internet service and related equipment.

Cities that recently won government funding for their high speed passenger rail projects include: Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Battle Creek, Michigan among others along the Detroit to Chicago route.

Feds promised the biggest piece of the budget in their national high speed rail transit program earlier this year to large-scale efforts in Florida and California that would connect Tampa and Orlando with 168 MPH trains, and Los Angeles and San Francisco with trains running up to 200 MPH.

Image via:Federal Railroad Administration

Company: GroundLink
Website: groundlink.com
Launch Date: October 7, 2004
Funding: $20M

GroundLink is a technology company that built the “OpenTable” of ground transportation. GroundLink aggregates, manages and handles payments for Limo, Taxi and shuttle services worldwide. On the supply side, the GroundLink marketplace aggregates pricing and availability for 45,000 suppliers in the GroundLink network. On the demand side, GroundLink provides its affiliates with a steady flow of jobs through several company-owned retail sites, mobile applications and exclusive partnerships with well-known travel companies like JetBlue, Royal Caribbean, Kayak and Continental...

Learn more

Company: D-Link
Website: dlink.com
Launch Date: February 12, 1986

Founded in 1986, D-Link is a global leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of advanced networking, broadband, digital, voice and data communications solutions. Following our company motto, “Building Networks for People”, D-Link continually meets the global networking and connectivity needs of digital home consumers, small office professionals, small- to medium-sized businesses, and enterprise environments. D-Link’s core competency is in Ethernet connectivity. In fact, we are the global leader in providing network connectivity solutions to small and medium-sized business. From...

Learn more

Sponsored Ads

blog comments powered by Disqus

Sponsored Ads

Sponsored Ads