CHAPTER 261 —HIGH-SPEED RAIL ASSISTANCE
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior
Amendments
2021—
2008—
2005—
§26101. High-speed rail corridor planning
(a)
(2) No less than 20 percent of the publicly financed costs associated with eligible activities shall come from State and local sources, which State and local sources may not include funds from any Federal program.
(b)
(A) environmental assessments;
(B) feasibility studies emphasizing commercial technology improvements or applications;
(C) economic analyses, including ridership, revenue, and operating expense forecasting;
(D) assessing the impact on rail employment of developing high-speed rail corridors;
(E) assessing community economic impacts;
(F) coordination with State and metropolitan area transportation planning and corridor planning with other States;
(G) operational planning;
(H) route selection analyses and purchase of rights-of-way for proposed high-speed rail service;
(I) preliminary engineering and design;
(J) identification of specific improvements to a corridor, including electrification, line straightening and other right-of-way improvements, bridge rehabilitation and replacement, use of advanced locomotives and rolling stock, ticketing, coordination with other modes of transportation, parking and other means of passenger access, track, signal, station, and other capital work, and use of intermodal terminals;
(K) preparation of financing plans and prospectuses;
(L) creation of public/private partnerships; and
(M) the acquisition of locomotives, rolling stock, track, and signal equipment.
(2) No financial assistance shall be provided under this section for corridor planning with respect to the main line of the Northeast Corridor, between Washington, District of Columbia, and Boston, Massachusetts.
(c)
(1) the relationship of the corridor to the Secretary's national high-speed ground transportation policy;
(2) the extent to which the proposed planning focuses on systems which will achieve sustained speeds of 125 mph or greater;
(3) the integration of the corridor into metropolitan area and statewide transportation planning;
(4) the potential interconnection of the corridor with other parts of the Nation's transportation system, including the interconnection with other countries;
(5) the anticipated effect of the corridor on the congestion of other modes of transportation;
(6) whether the work to be funded will aid the efforts of State and local governments to comply with the Clean Air Act (
(7) the past and proposed financial commitments and other support of State and local governments and the private sector to the proposed high-speed rail program, including the acquisition of rolling stock;
(8) the estimated level of ridership;
(9) the estimated capital cost of corridor improvements, including the cost of closing, improving, or separating highway-rail grade crossings;
(10) rail transportation employment impacts;
(11) community economic impacts;
(12) the extent to which the projected revenues of the proposed high-speed rail service, along with any financial commitments of State or local governments and the private sector, are expected to cover capital costs and operating and maintenance expenses;
(13) whether a specific route has been selected, specific improvements identified, and capacity studies completed; and
(14) whether the corridor has been designated as a high-speed rail corridor by the Secretary.
(Added
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Clean Air Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(6), is act July 14, 1955, ch. 360,
Prior Provisions
A prior section 26101 was renumbered
Amendments
2008—
Subsec. (a).
Subsecs. (a)(1), (b).
Subsec. (c)(2).
2005—
Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(1).
Subsec. (b)(1).
Subsec. (b)(1)(F).
Subsec. (b)(1)(M).
Subsec. (b)(2).
Subsec. (c)(2).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Congressional Findings; Purpose
"(a)
"(1) high-speed rail offers safe and efficient transportation in certain densely traveled corridors linking major metropolitan areas in the United States;
"(2) high-speed rail may have environmental advantages over certain other forms of intercity transportation;
"(3) Amtrak's Metroliner service between Washington, District of Columbia, and New York, New York, the United States premier high-speed rail service, has shown that Americans will use high-speed rail when that transportation option is available;
"(4) new high-speed rail service should not receive Federal subsidies for operating and maintenance expenses;
"(5) State and local governments should take the prime responsibility for the development and implementation of high-speed rail service;
"(6) the private sector should participate in funding the development of high-speed rail systems;
"(7) in some intercity corridors, Federal planning assistance may be required to supplement the funding commitments of State and local governments and the private sector to ensure the adequate planning, including reasonable estimates of the costs and benefits, of high-speed rail systems;
"(8) improvement of existing technologies can facilitate the development of high-speed rail systems in the United States; and
"(9) Federal assistance is required for the improvement, adaptation, and integration of proven technologies for commercial application in high-speed rail service in the United States.
"(b)
§26102. High-speed rail technology improvements
(a)
(b)
(c)
(Added
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 26102 was renumbered
§26103. Safety regulations and evaluation
The Secretary—
(1) shall promulgate such safety regulations as may be necessary for high-speed rail services;
(2) shall, before promulgating such regulations, consult with developers of new high-speed rail technologies to develop a method for evaluating safety performance; and
(3) may solicit feedback from relevant safety experts or representatives of rail employees who perform work on similar technology or who may be expected to perform work on new technology, as appropriate.
(Added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—
§26104. Authorization of appropriations
(a)
(1) $30,000,000 for carrying out section 26101; and
(2) $30,000,000 for carrying out section 26102,
for each of the fiscal years 2006 through 2013.
(b)
(Added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2008—Subsec. (a)(1).
2005—
1998—Subsecs. (d) to (h).
§26105. Definitions
For purposes of this chapter—
(1) the term "financial assistance" includes grants, contracts,,1 cooperative agreements, and other transactions;
(2) the term "high-speed rail" means all forms of nonhighway ground transportation that run on rails or electromagnetic guideways providing transportation service which is—
(A) reasonably expected to reach sustained speeds of more than 125 miles per hour; and
(B) made available to members of the general public as passengers,
but does not include rapid transit operations within an urban area that are not connected to the general rail system of transportation;
(3) the term "publicly financed costs" means the costs funded after April 29, 1993, by Federal, State, and local governments;
(4) the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Transportation;
(5) the term "State" means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and any other territory or possession of the United States; and
(6) the term "United States private business" means a business entity organized under the laws of the United States, or of a State, and conducting substantial business operations in the United States.
(Added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2005—Par. (1).
1998—Par. (2).
§26106. High-speed rail corridor development
(a)
(b)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(1)
(A) establish criteria for selecting among projects that meet the criteria specified in paragraph (2);
(B) conduct a national solicitation for applications; and
(C) award grants on a competitive basis.
(2)
(A) require—
(i) that the project be part of a State rail plan developed under
(ii) that the applicant or recipient has or will have the legal, financial, and technical capacity to carry out the project, satisfactory continuing control over the use of the equipment or facilities, and the capability and willingness to maintain the equipment or facilities;
(iii) that the project be based on the results of preliminary engineering studies or other planning, including corridor planning activities funded under
(iv) that the applicant provides sufficient information upon which the Secretary can make the findings required by this subsection;
(v) that if an applicant has selected the proposed operator of its service, that the applicant provide written justification to the Secretary showing why the proposed operator is the best, taking into account costs and other factors;
(vi) that each proposed project meet all safety and security requirements that are applicable to the project under law; and
(vii) that each project be compatible with, and operated in conformance with—
(I) plans developed pursuant to the requirements of
(II) the national rail plan (if it is available);
(B) select high-speed rail projects—
(i) that are anticipated to result in significant improvements to intercity rail passenger service, including, but not limited to, consideration of the project's—
(I) levels of estimated ridership, increased on-time performance, reduced trip time, additional service frequency to meet anticipated or existing demand, or other significant service enhancements as measured against minimum standards developed under section 207 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008;
(II) anticipated favorable impact on air or highway traffic congestion, capacity, or safety; and
(ii) for which there is a high degree of confidence that the proposed project is feasible and will result in the anticipated benefits, as indicated by—
(I) the project's precommencement compliance with environmental protection requirements;
(II) the readiness of the project to be commenced;
(III) the commitment of any affected host rail carrier to ensure the realization of the anticipated benefits; and
(IV) other relevant factors as determined by the Secretary;
(iii) for which the level of the anticipated benefits compares favorably to the amount of Federal funding requested under this section; and
(C) give greater consideration to projects—
(i) that are anticipated to result in benefits to other modes of transportation and to the public at large, including, but not limited to, consideration of the project's—
(I) encouragement of intermodal connectivity through provision of direct connections between train stations, airports, bus terminals, subway stations, ferry ports, and other modes of transportation;
(II) anticipated improvement of conventional intercity passenger, freight, or commuter rail operations;
(III) use of positive train control technologies;
(IV) environmental benefits, including projects that involve the purchase of environmentally sensitive, fuel-efficient, and cost-effective passenger rail equipment;
(V) anticipated positive economic and employment impacts;
(VI) encouragement of State and private contributions toward station development, energy and environmental efficiency, and economic benefits; and
(VII) falling under the description in section 5302(a)(1)(G) 1 of this title as defined to support intercity passenger rail service; and
(ii) that incorporate equitable financial participation in the project's financing, including, but not limited to, consideration of—
(I) donated property interests or services;
(II) financial contributions by intercity passenger, freight, and commuter rail carriers commensurate with the benefit expected to their operations; and
(III) financial commitments from host railroads, non-Federal governmental entities, non-governmental entities, and others.
(3)
(4)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(1) $150,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
(2) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2010;
(3) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2011;
(4) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and
(5) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2013.
(Added
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 211 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (e)(2)(A)(i), is section 211 of
Section 207 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, referred to subsec. (e)(2)(B)(i)(I), is section 207 of
The date of enactment of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (e)(4), is the date of enactment of
The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (g), is the date of enactment of
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (e)(3).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Additional High-Speed Rail Projects
"(a)
"(1)
"(A) the Northeast Corridor;
"(B) the California Corridor;
"(C) the Empire Corridor;
"(D) the Pacific Northwest Corridor;
"(E) the South Central Corridor;
"(F) the Gulf Coast Corridor;
"(G) the Chicago Hub Network;
"(H) the Florida Corridor;
"(I) the Keystone Corridor;
"(J) the Northern New England Corridor; and
"(K) the Southeast Corridor.
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)
"(A) the names and qualifications of the persons submitting the proposal and the entities proposed to finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain the railroad, railroad equipment, and related facilities, stations, and infrastructure;
"(B) a detailed description of the proposed rail service, including possible routes, required infrastructure investments and improvements, equipment needs and type, train frequencies, peak and average operating speeds, and trip times;
"(C) a description of how the project would comply with Federal rail safety and security laws, orders, and regulations governing high-speed rail operations;
"(D) the locations of proposed stations, which maximize the usage of existing infrastructure to the extent possible, and the populations such stations are intended to serve;
"(E) the type of equipment to be used, including any technologies, to achieve trip time goals;
"(F) a description of any proposed legislation needed to facilitate all aspects of the project;
"(G) a financing plan identifying—
"(i) projected revenue, and sources thereof;
"(ii) the amount of any requested public contribution toward the project, and proposed sources;
"(iii) projected annual ridership projections for the first 10 years of operations;
"(iv) annual operations and capital costs;
"(v) the projected levels of capital investments required both initially and in subsequent years to maintain a state-of-good-repair necessary to provide the initially proposed level of service or higher levels of service;
"(vi) projected levels of private investment and sources thereof, including the identity of any person or entity that has made or is expected to make a commitment to provide or secure funding and the amount of such commitment; and
"(vii) projected funding for the full fair market compensation for any asset, property right or interest, or service acquired from, owned, or held by a private person or Federal entity that would be acquired, impaired, or diminished in value as a result of a project, except as otherwise agreed to by the private person or entity;
"(H) a description of how the project would contribute to the development of a national high-speed rail system and an intermodal plan describing how the system will facilitate convenient travel connections with other transportation services;
"(I) a description of how the project will ensure compliance with Federal laws governing the rights and status of employees associated with the route and service, including those specified in
"(J) a description of how the design, construction, implementation, and operation of the project will accommodate and allow for future growth of existing and projected intercity, commuter, and freight rail service;
"(K) a description of how the project would comply with Federal and State environmental laws and regulations, of what the [sic] environmental impacts would result from the project, and how any adverse impacts would be mitigated; and
"(L) a description of the project's impacts on highway and aviation congestion, energy consumption, land use, and economic development in the service area.
"(b)
"(1) make a determination as to whether any such proposals—
"(A) contain the information required under subsection (a)(3) and (4);
"(B) are sufficiently credible to warrant further consideration;
"(C) are likely to result in a positive impact on the Nation's transportation system; and
"(D) are cost-effective and in the public interest; and
"(2) establish a commission under subsection (c) for each corridor with one or more proposals that the Secretary determines satisfies the requirements of paragraph (1), and forward to each commission such proposals for review and consideration.
"(c)
"(1)
"(A) the governors of the affected States, or their respective designees;
"(B) mayors of appropriate municipalities along the proposed corridor, or their respective designees;
"(C) a representative from each freight railroad carrier using the relevant corridor, if applicable;
"(D) a representative from each transit authority using the relevant corridor, if applicable;
"(E) representatives of nonprofit employee labor organizations representing affected railroad employees; and
"(D) [sic] the President of Amtrak or his or her designee.
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)
"(A)
"(B)
"(5)
"(d)
"(1)
"(A) a summary of each proposal received;
"(B) services to be provided under each proposal, including projected ridership, revenues, and costs;
"(C) proposed public and private contributions for each proposal;
"(D) the advantages offered by the proposal over existing intercity passenger rail services;
"(E) public operating subsidies or assets needed for the proposed project;
"(F) possible risks to the public associated with the proposal, including risks associated with project financing, implementation, completion, safety, and security;
"(G) a ranked list of the proposals recommended for further consideration under subsection (e) in accordance with each proposal's projected positive impact on the Nation's transportation system;
"(H) an identification of any proposed Federal legislation that would facilitate implementation of the projects and Federal legislation that would be required to implement the projects; and
"(I) any other recommendations by the commission concerning the proposed projects.
"(2)
"(3)
"(e)
"(1) Not later than 60 days after receiving the recommended proposals of the commissions established under subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall—
"(A) review such proposals and select any proposal which provides substantial benefits to the public and the national transportation system, is cost-effective, offers significant advantages over existing services, and meets other relevant factors determined appropriate by the Secretary; and
"(B) issue a report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate containing any proposal with respect to subsection (a)(1)(A) that is selected by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, all the information regarding the proposal provided to the Secretary under subsection (d), and any other relevant information deemed appropriate.
"(2) Following the submission of the report under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing any proposal with respect to subparagraphs (B) through (K) of subsection (a)(1) that are selected by the Secretary under paragraph (1) of this subsection, all the information regarding the proposal provided to the Secretary under subsection (d), and any other relevant information deemed appropriate.
"(3) The report required under paragraph (2) shall not be submitted by the Secretary until the report submitted under paragraph (1) has been considered through a hearing by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the report submitted under paragraph (1)(B).
"(f)
"(g)
"(h)
"(1)
"(2)
"(3)
"(4)