1. The HSR Tipping Point Background and Context
Presented by Al Engel, P.E
APTA HSR Policy Forum
December 2, 2015
APTA Offices
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

2. The thought leaders On the Question
What will be the tipping point for the U.S. to commit to a high performance intercity passenger rail policy and program?
Robert Vanderclute, Senior Vice President – Association of American Railroads;
Ken Orski, Transport Policy Consultant
Jim Mathews, President & CEO – National Association of Railroad Passengers
Martin Pietrucha, Director, Larson Transportation Institute - Penn State University
Anthony Perl, Ph.D.; Professor - Simon Fraser University
Roy Kienitz, Infrastructure Policy and Financing Consultant
Katherine Kortum, Ph.D; Program Officer -Transportation Research Board
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

3. Tipping point Ideas put forward at Speedlines rountable 9/25/14
When it is recognized by our leaders that high speed rail is a proper public investment that cannot be funded solely from the fares paid by riders just as is the case for highways, airports and transit systems
When we have a successful demonstration project in the U.S.
Economic and Demographic trends will tip the scales toward a national program but it will be a long process.
When a clear consensus on benefits is reached; in the U.S. there are still mixed messages. One good project needs to be built to convince a skeptical public. 
The U.S. will adopt HSR when all other competing alternatives have been thoroughly studied and set aside. 
A national program will grow out of the various regional initiatives being taken, much like the National Interstate Highway which took many decades to evolve.
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

4. Growth of High Speed Rail Lines Since 1964
Explosive Global Growth of
High Speed Rail
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

5. Global hsr Mileage Sept. 25, 2014 Nov. 2015
14,257 miles in operation 20,147 (12,215 in China alone)
7,922 miles in construction 10,863
11,702 miles planned ,862
33,881 miles total in ,872
Updated Nov 1, 2015; Source: UIC
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

6. Countries Operating, constructing and Planning high-speed rail systems
Updated Nov 1, 2015; Source: UIC
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

7. Who rides High speed rail?
(UIC 2013 Statistics)
1.150 Billion riders annually
→ 485 Million in China
→ 300 Million in Japan
→ 125 Million in France
→ 240 Million rest of world
15 Billion total riders since 1964
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015

8. Thank you al@alengel.com Useful Sites: http://www.uic.org/highspeed
Credits: The organizations who generously provided Information and Illustrations used for this presentation include but are not limited to the following organizations: The Union of International Railways (UIC) AMTRAK French National Railroad (SNCF) Alstom Corporation Siemens Corporation Japan East Railway Central Japan Railway
Useful Sites:
Al Engel Consulting December 2, 2015