Photo: #Amtrak's Acela Express high-speed rail runs through the borough of Queens in New York City in this Nov. 16, 2000, file photo. Most U.S. passenger trains chug along at little more than highway speeds and advocates now say Americans may be ready to embrace high-speed rail.

High-speed rail: the costs and benefits


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President Obama promises that a new national network of high-speed passenger rail lines will relieve congestion and reduce our impact on the environment. Urban planners are excited to see cities become more centralized, but some say that the public investment is too costly.

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