United States and High Speed Rail

            High-speed rail has never taken off in the United States, although America was once a pioneer in rail transportation during the country's expansion during the 19th and 20th centuries. Many state and national factions have proposed various proposals to realize high-speed rail's convenience and cost savings. High Speed Rail (HRS) can reduce fossil fuel usage by moving more people quickly rather than individual automobiles. HSR has been utilized worldwide for decades, and in the United States, it is still seen as a pipe dream even though President Obama has intended to provide funding for 80% of U.S. citizens to access HSR. Siemens (a company specializing in sustainable innovations) had a bullet train on display in D.C. that may be used in the proposed 520-mile HSR system through California’s Central Valley. That project was approved by the voters in 2008, and that construction started in 2013. Although the U.S. Congress seems unable to appropriate funding for HSR projects, the XpressWest Company has secured a $100 million investment from a consortium led by the China Railway Group to build a 230-mile HSR line between L.A. and Las Vegas. In Texas, construction for a 200+ MPH bullet train from Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth is set to start in 2017. The use of HSR has proven to reduce emissions from automobiles and planes in nations worldwide and can do the same while revamping the U.S. culture to a more sustainable society.