High Speed Rail Talk

Speaker: James Flattum, director of outreach, Coloradans for CoCoA new intercity passenger rail service is on the ballot this year in Colorado’s Front Range.Learn more about the Colorado Connector (CoCo) and Measure 7A, which would create permanent funding for train service between Fort Collins and Pueblo. Colorado’s approach is unique, following an incremental strategy that invests in existing freight-owned tracks to expand service over time to 10 daily round trips, borrowing from the Capitol Corridor and Amtrak Cascades models.Listen to our conversation with James Flattum to hear how CoCo proponents are planning ahead, building support, and creating a framework that could inspire other states to follow.James Flattum is supporting the “Coloradans for CoCo” campaign as the director of outreach. He is on a 60-day leave from his official role at the Front Range Passenger Rail District to campaign for CoCo and will be returning after the election. Professionally, Flattum has a background in finance and corporate management and has been highly active in the transportation advocacy space.Originally recorded October 16, 2026

The High Speed Rail Alliance is proud to welcome Thom de Boo (Trains Are Awesome), Keith Davis (Car Free Keith), and Alan Fisher for a discussion about trains, content, and more.Moderated by Outreach Manager Jordan Pokorney, this conversation dives into the latest news in American passenger rail, from the future of Amtrak to the upcoming federal surface transportation program. We also explore the role of content creation in transportation advocacy. Is media the key to getting everyone behind a less car-dependent future?Originally recorded April 24, 2026

Speakers: Karim Ahmed, Scott Bernstein, Dr. Robert Paaswell, Samuel TurveyReThinkNYC and other allies joined us to discuss the potential to convert commuter rail operations at New York Penn Station to a through-running model, which is favored in the Federal Railroad Administration guidelines and acknowledged as the international gold standard for commuter rail.On this continent, Philadelphia and Toronto already have through-running, with Los Angeles soon to follow. The FRA recently published a Phase 1 report calling for at least some through-running to take place at Penn Station, with a second phase of the study soon to follow.The panel examined the current status of through-running efforts at New York Penn Station in the context of the FRA activities and more. ReThinkNYC has been advocating for a through-running conversion since as early as 2014 and invite you to learn more about their outlook on and experiences with this project of national importance.Karim Ahmed: senior transportation advisor, ReThinkNYC; principal, Reform Architecture PLLCScott Bernstein: founder and emeritus, President of Center of Neighborhood Technology; co-founder and chair, Surface Transportation Project; known expert and sponsor of Housing and Transportation Affordability IndexDr. Robert Paaswell: distinguished professor of civil engineering emeritus, City College of New York; director emeritus, University Transportation Research Center, City College of New York; former CEO, Chicago Transit AuthoritySamuel Turvey: chairperson, ReThinkNYC; coordinator, Empire Station Coalition; lead, Penn Community Defense Fund; 2025 City & State Transportation TrailblazerFollow along by reading the presentation slides.Originally recorded October 9, 2026

Speaker: Dr. Francesca Pagliara, associate professor of transportation engineering, University of Naples Federico IIThe history of rail transport has seen several distinct stages of technological and organizational development. Since its introduction in 1964, high-speed rail has ushered in a new era marked by transformative, positive impact on economies and societies.Francesca Pagliara has spent her life studying these effects in dozens of countries throughout the world. Drawing from international case studies, she has identified a “top 10” list of measurable benefits of high-speed rail investment. From enhanced safety and energy efficiency to boosts in tourism, job creation, and GDP growth, her findings serve as a toolkit for proponents of high-speed trains in North America.Listen as Pagliara shares more about these discoveries, what they mean for U.S. policymakers, and how Europe has made progress in favor of high-speed rail in recent years.Dr. Francesca Pagliara is an associate professor of transportation engineering at the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Naples Federico II. She has held visiting and research positions at institutions such as Oxford University, ETH Zurich, and Beijing Jiaotong University, where she was appointed as adjunct professor for three years.Pagliara leads the International Symposium on High-Speed Rail Socioeconomic Impacts, supported by the International Union of Railways (UIC). She is the author academic books in both Italian and English, including “Transportation Systems for Tourism” from 2023, along with over 200 papers.Follow along by reading the presentation slides hereOriginally recorded September 30, 2026

Speaker: Boris Lipkin, vice president of program development at STVBoris Lipkin has a unique perspective to offer to those who want to see American high-speed rail built: he’s actually helped build it. Between 2018 and 2025, he served as the Northern California regional director at the California High-Speed Rail Authority, where he led the development of 160 miles of the system between San Francisco and Merced Counties.In this discussion, Boris shares his personal insight into what makes such mega-infrastructure projects successful—and the challenges they can face. He identified six lessons in his recent paper Learning from California: Lessons Drawn from California High-Speed Rail for Other Large Infrastructure Projects, published by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University. Join us as we uncover what other proposed high-speed rail projects—from Cascadia to the Illinois High-Speed Railway Commission—can do to lay a solid foundation.

Speaker: Beau Mills, chair, All Aboard NCNorth Carolina is the third-fastest-growing state in the U.S. by population. As economic activity and travel demand increase, more train service is needed.Enter All Aboard NC, a new organization “connecting the connectors”, assembling a strategic A-team of state and local leaders, chambers of commerce, metropolitan planning organizations, and partner advocacy groups. Its mission? To advance a regional rail network that serves all North Carolinians.Seven proposed routes running through the Piedmont State were selected for the Corridor Identification and Development Program in 2023, with five more eligible for future rounds. In the same year, the S-Line project, which would provide a direct higher-speed passenger rail connection between Raleigh and Richmond, received a $1.09 billion federal investment—the largest single grant ever received by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.Chair Beau Mills joins us to share more about All Aboard NC’s approach to train advocacy, the status of current projects, and what lies ahead in one of the most strategic battlegrounds for passenger rail expansion in the country.Originally recorded June 5, 2026

Speaker: Rebecca Higgins, vice president of policy, Eno Center for TransportationFederal funding for intercity passenger rail is at risk of returning to its former, unstable model.Federal funding for Amtrak has mostly been marked by annual appropriations and underfunding—without a dedicated revenue source. The IIJA broke the mold of this short-term framework by providing $66 billion for passenger rail over five years.In her recent paper, Looking Down the Tracks: A Case for More Predictable Intercity Passenger Rail Funding, Rebecca Higgins argues for the adoption of a long-term federal funding strategy. She joins us to outline how such model would improve efficiency, continue growing ridership, and provide investments befitting the undeniable importance of passenger trains.[00:00] Intro & High Speed Rail Alliance [00:19] Welcome from Rick Harnish [01:09] The planning catch-22: no funding certainty, no plans [02:07] Introducing Rebecca Higgins & the Eno Center report [03:39] Highway Trust Fund certainty vs. rail's funding instability [07:36] How highway formula funding shapes state priorities [08:51] Advance appropriations vs. the Highway Trust Fund, explained [12:05] A brief history: Amtrak near-bankruptcy to PRIIA reform [14:37] Recovery Act vs. IIJA: lessons from two funding surges [19:07] How Amtrak spent its IIJA money (equipment vs. infrastructure) [22:17] Amtrak's staffing ramp-up and readiness today [23:29] Recommendations: matching funding structure to project type [27:26] Where should rail money come from? [28:18] Chicago's regional rail funding challenges [30:31] Long-distance rail and state-supported routes [31:53] Summing up the report's core conclusions [33:06] Has the country truly committed to passenger rail? [36:56] Outlook for the 2026 reauthorization [38:44] Should the Highway Trust Fund itself be rethought? [41:29] What is "contract authority," and why it favors highways [43:43] Listener Q&A: expanding corridor eligibility to city pairs [46:41] Listener Q&A: reauthorization prognosis [49:49] Closing thanks and sign-off [50:35] Outro & creditsOriginally recorded March 13, 2026

Speakers: Mark Walbrun, chief development officer, and Dave Lundy, chief executive officer, O'Hare FlyerThe O’Hare Flyer is a privately funded rail project that aims to bring travelers from downtown Chicago to O’Hare Airport in just 15 minutes.The proposal, announced on Aug. 25, would take advantage of underused, freight-owned rights of way to deliver a practical path toward a long-sought commuting experience. The O’Hare Flyer would run battery-powered trains between the airport’s Terminal 2 and a station near the Old Post Office proximate to a variety of multimodal “last-mile” connections such as Chicago Union Station.Listen to learn more about this exciting new development from its leadership team.[00:00] Intro — High Speed Rail Talk[00:19] Welcome from Rick Harnish, High Speed Rail Alliance[01:27] Introducing the O'Hare Flyer team and project background[04:17] World-class partners and vendors[05:11] Vision: a 15-minute, battery-electric airport express[06:59] Private funding, no public subsidy[07:41] Operating plan and schedule[10:09] Train specs, range, and battery charging[10:39] Route overview: CN, CSX, Union Pacific rights-of-way[12:02] Downtown terminal at Canal Street[13:10] End-to-end control and grade separation[14:34] Track configuration and third rail details[15:30] Route schematic and maintenance center[16:18] Grade crossings and safety upgrades[18:17] Crossing the airport taxiways[19:03] Arrival at the airport terminal platform[20:19] Connecting to Terminal 1, 3, 5 and the ATS[21:07] Passenger experience and luggage handling[22:26] Downtown station and connections to Union Station/Blue Line[23:13] Engineering, environmental, and title research[24:26] Community relations approach[25:51] Possible Forest Park stop[26:20] Grade separation details in River Forest[28:00] Q&A begins[28:11] CTA ridership overlap and market differences[30:26] Speed and top speed details[31:27] Why not terminate at Union Station[32:56] Funding and comparison to Brightline (Florida)[35:07] Fare pricing expectations[36:01] ROI and investor questions[36:16] CDA/CDOT/city cooperation[37:41] Conversations with CTA and Metra[38:10] Ridership market research[40:07] Forest Park stop travel times[40:30] Investors and backers confidentiality[41:22] Addressing residential noise concerns[42:48] Comparison to Toronto's Union-Pearson Express[44:03] Closing thoughts and next steps[45:16] Outro and creditsOriginally recorded Sept. 4, 2026

We are excited to announce the launch of our podcast High Speed Rail Talk. This new format builds upon our celebrated webinar series to bring you news and discussion about fast, frequent trains and the future of transportation in America.

Guests: Beth Kmetz-Armitage and Sam KrassensteinFor over three decades, Detroit’s famed Michigan Central Station stood derelict and abandoned after 75 years of passenger service.But trains could return to the vicinity of the old station soon.The Ford Motor Company purchased, renovated, and gave new life to Michigan Central Station, which opened in 2024 as a mixed-use building, part of the new Michigan Central Innovation District — which has partnered with the City of Detroit and the Michigan Department of Transportation to develop a new multimodal transportation facility within the 30-acre campus.High Speed Rail Alliance Executive Director Rick Harnish joins Beth Kmetz-Armitage and Sam Krassenstein, two leaders in the project, for a conversation about the proposed station, the potential for expanded Amtrak service in the region, and what this development means for the future of Detroit.Beth Kmetz-Armitage is the director of commercial development at Michigan Central.Sam Krassentein serves as both the chief of infrastructure and the Department of Public Works deputy director for the City of Detroit.Chapters:00:00 Intro — High Speed Rail Talk00:19 Welcome from Rick Harnish, High Speed Rail Alliance01:07 Meet the Guests02:17 Overview of the Michigan Central Station Restoration06:00 Vision for a New Multimodal Transit Hub08:16 History of Rail Service & Restoration Goals10:38 What Is Michigan Central? (Building vs. Entity)13:55 Regional Ridership & Market Draw16:37 Expanding Service to Ann Arbor and Beyond19:04 The Threat to Intercity Bus Stations21:08 Local Transit Access & Future Connections22:17 Economic Development Around the Station23:26 Design Plans for the New Transit Center26:08 The Corktown & Southwest Neighborhoods27:52 Why Michigan Central Is Investing in Transit29:38 The Windsor–Toronto Rail Connection32:23 Why Not Restore the Original Train Platforms?39:21 Funding the Project40:46 Basement Discoveries at the Historic Station43:01 How the Public Can Help45:51 Wolverine Service & Oakland County Questions46:10 Planned Amenities46:33 Closing Thoughts & CreditsOriginally recorded Jan. 9, 2026