100s of Billions are needed to just upgrade existing rail to being electric and reliable. Even just upgrading the speed slightly and making rail reliable would be helpful.
Most roads, and highways, can be retrofitted with some type of passenger rail. To run alongside cars. No need to build in a greenfield.
It's amazing the environmentalists don't report how many new miles of road are put down every year.
The best time to electrify the railroads was 100 years ago, the second best time is now.
I'm not usually for full public, but in terms of the railroads the government just has to buy all the tracks and operate as an infrastructure provider.
Maybe on of the single best choices in Swiss history is the commitment to 100% electrified rail. I honestly didn't even know non electrified rail existed. In my mind it was just 'steam' and then 'electric'. I was pretty old until I for the first time read something about a diesel locomotive and I was totally confused.
Most roads, and highways, can be retrofitted with some type of passenger rail. To run alongside cars. No need to build in a greenfield.
It's amazing the environmentalists don't report how many new miles of road are put down every year.