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The Trains
 220-mph High-Speed Trains
High-speed trains link major cities with air-competitive travel times. High-speed trains would make St. Louis just 2 hours from Chicago.
They are almost exclusively powered from overhead wires along specially designed tracks used exclusively
(with some exceptions inside major downtown areas where space is limited) by high-speed express trains. |
 110-mph Regional Trains
Operating at cruising speeds up to 110 mph, regional trains link cities and small towns together.
They can do double duty as long-distance commuter trains. (Often called high-speed rail in the United States.)
Regional trains can be powered by either diesel engines or overhead electrification.
They often use tracks also used by freight trains and serve smaller communities that still are not classified as "suburbs,"
while also supplementing both high-speed express and commuter trains. |
 Sleeper TrainsSleeper trains are multi-purpose mobility machines; serving a variety of roles. The term "sleeper train" is partially a misnomer since oftentimes the majority of passengers do not sleep on board the train and only ride it over a short portion of the train's route. In many cases they connect smaller networks to each other, such as providing connections between one high-speed rail network and another. Further, they supplement both high-speed trains and regional express trains by using the same corridors. |
 Commuter TrainsCommuter trains link suburban communities and downtowns to one other. As the name suggests, commuter rail's main function is to safely and quickly transport people from their homes to their workplaces. Despite this, they also serve a range of other functions, including taking people to special events and allowing people greater mobility throughout cities. See our Transit Riders Alliance website for more information. |
 MetrosStreetcars, light rail and rapid transit connect urban neighborhoods and business districts. They usually work hand-in-hand with other transportation systems such as roads, airports, and other trains. Subways, elevated metro trains, and light rail provide downtowns and inner suburban communities with much-needed mobility, while buses and streetcars offer additional service over shorter corridors and often move people from larger transit "hubs" to within walking distance of their homes, jobs, and other places of interest. See our Transit Riders Alliance website for more information. |