High-speed-rail builders from Europe and Japan trekked to Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles in early February to share their experiences with Americans. Public-private partnerships, interoperability with other systems and public outreach were among the topics broached by French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese rail officials.

Photo: California High Speed Rail Authority

California’s planned high-speed rail line may be informed by advice offered from around the world at a symposium.

State engineers and their consultants are rolling up their sleeves after a Jan. 28 award of grants from the $8-billion pot for high-speed rail. In the Los Angeles symposium, held on Feb. 11-13, American Public Transportation Association President Bill Millar noted the U.S. already has an extensive freight system into which many of the “higher-speed” lines must be integrated. Methods from other nations “will have to be Americanized and adjusted to work in our country,” he said. APTA co-sponsored the events with the International Union of Railways, based in Paris.

Officials compared the high-speed-rail program to the Interstate highway system. Joe Szabo, Federal Railroad Administration chief, told attendees to be prepared for a “decades-long build-out.” He said an official national rail plan will be completed by September. “It will be a clearly articulated vision,” he said. “Ultimately, however, these will be state- and [region-] driven projects.”

The main goal of high-speed-rail systems is an alternative to short-haul flights. The revenue “sweet spot” is a trip lasting no longer than two to three hours, many international experts said. Other considerations include electricity needs, noise and train-created wind-force buffers and slab-versus-ballast track options.