WASHINGTON — Super-speed trains will never become a reality nationwide without substantial support from federal and state governments, a group of the nation's top high-speed rail experts asserted Thursday.
The experts' views stand in marked contrast to the "private money only" philosophy that lay behind the apparently failed attempt to develop a high-speed rail link between Anaheim and Las Vegas.
The contractor designated to build the $5-billion system, Bechtel Corp., pulled out of the project last fall, citing the worldwide economic climate, and the commission promoting the rail link is no longer legally authorized to conduct business.
"In most cases, we need public money in high-speed train systems in this country," said Joseph Vranich, a consultant to the High Speed Rail Assn. and the author of a new book on high-speed rail systems.
"Aviation and highways are heavily, heavily subsidized," Vranich said. "How could you expect somebody to build a high-speed train line and (then) say: 'You do it all with private money, and you have to compete against these subsidized systems?' "
Those conclusions generally support the findings of the National Research Council, the working arm of the National Academy of Sciences. In a report released in November, the council said high-speed trains are feasible but are not likely to attract enough riders to become self-supporting. The trains can transport passengers at speeds of nearly 200 m.p.h. and dramatically reduce highway and airport congestion.
Vranich spoke at a press conference at Washington's Union Station passenger terminal called to enlist federal help in promoting construction of high-speed rail systems. Among those joining him were Ross Capon, executive director of the National Assn. of Rail Passengers; Bob Pattison, chairman of the High Speed Rail Assn.; and Gil Carmichael, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
Despite the failure of the Anaheim-Las Vegas project, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission is proceeding with preliminary plans for a $4-billion, privately financed high-speed rail system that would follow freeway rights of way between Los Angeles International Airport and Palmdale. Eight companies so far have picked up proposal documents, a commission spokeswoman said. A contract could be awarded as early as 1993.
