If a High Speed Train Leaves a Station...

Ronald Utt comments on a planned high speed train route connecting Kansas City, St. Louis and Chicago:

For instance, one has to wonder what exactly motivated the review team to endorse the proposed $1.1 billion investment in the Kansas City-St. Louis-Chicago route, which would allow customers to reach their destinations 10 percent faster than they could by driving between Chicago and St. Louis.

He raises an interesting point in suggesting that pluggable hybrid cars promise a cheaper and cleaner alternative to such a plan. Nevertheless, the idea of reaching Chicago from STL in four hours without having to either bother with an airport or be actively driving a car is an intriguing.