Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

The most dynamic countries are surging ahead with high-speed rail. Others, like Britain, are stuck in the station | Christian Wolmar

theguardian.com · 8dShare

Around the world, these trains have boosted economies, development and prestige. The costs of missing out are high Christian Wolmar is the author of Fast Track: The Extraordinary Story of High-Speed Rail With all our grumbling about trains – and it is close to a national pastime – it is easy to forget the successes. There is a tale to tell, for example, about high-speed trains, that goes beyond the endless wrangling over HS2 . If you look at the history around the globe, as I have, you find that high-speed trains saved the railways. An industry that was gradually sinking into oblivion, thanks to motorways and aeroplanes, has been revitalised by a technological revolution that means trains travel faster, more safely and more comfortably. Continue reading...

First report: DOT loosens noise rules for high-speed rail, but real bullet trains remain a distant prospect — washingtontimes.com, 11d