Running off the rails

High-speed rail works well in Europe and Japan, so why can´t the United States get it right? The outlines the problems faced by railways in the US, highlighting the case of Amtrak´s Acela Express fleet which were taken out of service after only twenty months due to a major fault; 200 comparatlively minor defects were also identified. One of the main reasons for the problems with railways in the US Northeast corridor is that a new dedicated track alignment was not possible and speed restrictions are in force in densely populated regions. In retrospect, some problems were to be expected, considering that an unproven advanced-technology train was being introduced on an existing, if upgraded, infrastructure. Despite these teething troubles, Acela Express is a success. The Northeast corridor is the proving ground for high-speed rail in North America, from both technical and marketing perspectives. For the sake of sustainable mobility in an environmentally acceptable manner, high-speed rail must be the way forward in North America,.