Passenger Rail: The Transportation Alternative
by Walton W. Loevy
Category: Transportation

For more than a half century, the American Dream has included owning an automobile for personal mobility. However, by the turn of the 21st century, the one-person, one-car approach to transportation has resulted in severe automobile traffic congestion in major metropolitan areas. Federal, state and local governments have taken major steps to reinvent passenger rail as a viable transportation alternative. Whether high-speed trains, commuter trains or light rail electric streetcars, 19th-century technology has been reintroduced to create a more balanced transportation network. Because sprawl city planning discourages viable mass transit, politicians and city planners have had to deal with the difficulty of recreating their regional transportation infrastructure. Transit-oriented developments have influenced new city planning efforts which emphasized rail transit over automobile use. Recalling the history behind modern rail transit, some cities have restored historic electric streetcars to diversify their rail transit system. More than a vehicle for commuters, historic railways attract tourists and add distinction to the communities they serve.