(The following editorial appeared on the Knoxville News Sentinel website on June 9, 2010.)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Railroads hold a unique position in the American psyche, blending the symbolism of uniting the country and the romanticism of a bygone era.
Trains never went away, of course, but automobiles and airplanes all but killed passenger service in the United States. Railroads, however, seem poised for a much-welcomed renaissance. Recent developments point to a renewed emphasis on rail travel that we hope will benefit the region.
Most welcome was the announcement by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood that “America is going to get in the high-speed intercity rail business … and I hope that includes, for my money, from Atlanta Hartsfield (airport) to Chicago through Chattanooga, Nashville and beyond.”
Of course, we would prefer to see a high-speed passenger rail line come through Knoxville, but an Atlanta-Chicago line running through Chattanooga and Nashville would be a boon to the state’s economy.
Since World War II the United States has focused on building the interstate highway system and expanding airline service at a cost, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, of more than $1.8 trillion in constant 2009 dollars. Rail transportation has largely been ignored except in the Northeast.
With a new vision for high-speed rail and $8 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the U.S. at last will begin building a network of high-speed rail lines similar to those in Japan, Germany and other countries.
Rail transportation between urban areas is efficient and could improve the environment. According to a study cited by the Transportation Department, implementation of the high-speed corridor plans could result in the reduction of 6 billion pounds of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere every year.
There are challenges, of course. They include a lack of expertise because of America’s neglect of passenger rail service and a lack of money in many states.
However, the investment could pay off in less crowded highways, less congested airports and cleaner air. Plus, the administration wants to help states pay for implementation, similar to the way Washington subsidizes highway construction, to the tune of $1 billion a year.
And just because Knoxville isn’t in a passenger service corridor doesn’t mean that our area won’t benefit. At least one local business, Unitrac Railroad Materials Inc., will be able to compete to provide track, switches and other infrastructure that will be needed to establish the service.
The Knoxville-based firm expanded its plant at WestBridge Business Park two years ago and recently inked a $7.2 million contract with the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority. As part of the company’s expansion, Unitrac installed state-of-the-art, computerized milling and planing machines that allow it to make high-performance rails and longer switching sections required by transit lines.
We hope the investment pays off in more work for the company and more jobs for East Tennessee workers.
And we urge state and federal officials to move forward with high-speed rail in general and in particular an Atlanta-Chicago corridor. We’ve allowed the third leg of our transportation system to wither long enough.