The 1967 Midwest High Speed Rail Transit Conference: lessons for 2012
High speed rail (HSR) currently is attracting much political and media attention in the United States as an innovative way to solve transportation problems while spurring economic development. However, as this article points out, HSR is not a new idea. In 1967, a Midwest High Speed Rail Transit Conference was held in Chicago, sponsored by the Illinois High Speed Rail Transit Commission and the Chicago Association of Commerce and Industry. Much of the discussion of HSR at the 1967 conference was very similar to what could be heard today, especially in terms of feasible speeds and distances as well as the effects of geopolitics on HSR efforts. The speakers at the 1967 conference were primarily industry representatives and academics, with little political presence. Despite the 1967 interest in HSR, the conference did not spur the actual development of an HSR line. The author concludes that current concerns about dwindling energy resources are the primary difference between HSR discussions in 2011 and 1967, and that this issue might be the one that finally spurs actual HSR development.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09666923
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Authors:
- Minn, Michael
- Publication Date: 2012-5
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: References;
- Pagination: pp. 297-299
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Serial:
- Journal of Transport Geography
- Volume: 22
- Issue Number: 0
- Publisher: Elsevier
- ISSN: 0966-6923
- Serial URL: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jtrangeo
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Conferences; High speed rail; History; Political factors; Transportation planning
- Geographic Terms: Midwestern States
- Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01378976
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Jul 30 2012 9:50AM