High-speed rail "coming to America"

The Wall Street Journal's Middle Seat blog reports on reactions to $8 billion of federal stimulus money going to high-speed rail development.

Airlines were upset because high-speed rail could signal competition and "further erode their customer bases."

In two or three decades, Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood said at the FAA annual forecasting conference, U.S. cities will be connected by high-speed rail – whether airlines like it or not.

"Let me give you a little bit of political advice: Don’t be against high-speed rail," Sec. LaHood said. "It’s coming to America. This is the president’s vision, this is the vice president’s vision, this is America’s vision…. We’re going to get into the high-speed rail business."

European and Asian countries such as Taiwan (picture right) already have high-speed rail lines.

Read the full story: LaHood to airlines: get onboard the high-speed train

Photo from Stephen Fung.net