★American Dream Coalition Freedom, Mobility, and Affordable Homeownership American Dream Coalition Fact Sheet #2 americandreamcoalition.org

gas prices and concerns about greenhouse gases have stimulated calls for the federal government to support more rail transit lines in urban areas, increase subsidies to Amtrak, and construct a large-scale intercity high-speed rail system. These megaprojects will cost hundreds of billions of dollars, but will they save energy or significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions? This policy brief examines several fundamental myths behind such proposals using data published by the U.S. departments of Transportation, Energy, and Commerce and various local transportation agencies. Myth 1: Rail transportation is inexpensive. Reality: Rail transport is several times more expensive, per passenger mile, than driving or flying. Intercity rail transportation and urban transit are often billed as affordable alternatives to the automobile or airlines. In fact, passenger mile for passenger mile—the only fair comparison— rail transportation is far more expensive than more popular forms of travel. To make them at all competitive with flying and driving, taxpayers must heavily subsidize trains. Intercity rail and urban transit are far more expensive than driving or commercial air travel. All numbers are for 2006