As directed by the High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965 and follow-on legislation, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has sponsored the development of High-speed ground transportation (HSGT).  HSGT is a family of transportation options that address long-term passenger transport needs in heavily populated corridors.  With the successful completion of the original phases of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) Transportation Project, including continuous electrification between Washington, New York, and Boston, efforts have expanded beyond the NEC main line to HSGT options in other corridors.

What is HSGT?   HSGT is self-guided intercity passenger ground transportation that is time-competitive with air and/or autos on a door-to-door basis for trips in the approximate range of 100 to 500 miles. This is a market-based, not a speed-based definition: it recognizes that the opportunities and requirements for HSGT differ markedly among different pairs of cities.

What is a corridor?   A corridor is a natural grouping of metropolitan areas and markets that, by their proximity and configuration, lend themselves to efficient service by ground transport.

What are the potential benefits of HSGT?   Supporters of HSGT point to the long-term growth in America's population, income, travel demand, and congestion in intercity transportation by air and auto.  Traditional remedies-expansion of airports and highways-have involved increasing environmental and dollar costs and public oppposition in affected communities.  HSGT can offer such social, economic, and environmental benefits as energy savings, emission reductions, and maximized use of existing facilities.  A discussion of these possibilities is in FRA's 1997 report, High-Speed Ground Transportation for America.