Reported by Tiana May for Railway News.
The 2024 U.S. presidential election marked a sharp political shift, with Donald Trump returning to the White House and Republicans strengthening their presence in Congress. For the rail industry, this transition has raised pressing questions: What will happen to the momentum built under the Biden administration? Will federally backed rail initiatives continue, stall, or pivot in new directions?
Under President Biden, rail investment reached historic levels, particularly through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Federal funding was committed to modernising Amtrak, expanding regional corridors, and advancing high-speed rail projects.
At Railway Interchange, industry experts in the rail sector explored whether the country’s new political chapter will mean a rollback in support. Their insights suggest that while the priorities of federal engagement may shift, opportunities for progress still exist if the industry can adapt its message and prove its value.
With rail offering substantial economic benefits, Schwartz emphasised the need to address the misconception that public transportation, especially rail, is a blue-state or a new-city issue. Instead, infrastructure projects generate nationwide value, including in regions without trains. He highlighted that the rail supply chain creates jobs and economic activity across the country, and urged advocates to frame these projects in terms of local impact to secure political support. For example, when engaging with a member of Congress from Eastern Kentucky, the focus should be on how rail investment supports manufacturing plants and job creation in that specific region.
To further emphasise this point, Greg Regan, President at the Transportation Trades Department (TTD), stressed the need to truly consider the meaning of something “public”. This includes public roads, public schools, public libraries, public parks, and public transportation. He emphasised that anything public is “an investment in ourselves” and therefore benefits American communities.
Greg Regan said:
“When we talk about something public, we’re investing in our communities for the benefit of the people that live in those communities. Whether it be educating our children or allowing people to get to their jobs and have job opportunities.
I think it is really important to bring that back and emphasise the investment in ourselves. This is not just about cost, it is about investment. It is about what we get out of it.”
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