High Speed Rail Definitions

There are different kinds of high speed rail proposed for the United States. Here is a breakdown of the various systems according to Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines:

• Core Express will operate at speeds of 125 mph and above. This is the current standard for leading high speed networks in Europe and Asia. Core Express operates on dedicated right-of-way, separated from other trains, and is completely grade-separated.
• Regional, which operates at speeds from 90 to 125 mph, can share existing tracks with freight and other forms of passenger rail with the use of positive train control technology.
• Emerging/conventional operate at speeds up to 90 mph on tracks shared with frieght trains.