Is U.S. Passenger Rail Having a Big Moment?

Federal Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy withholding grants for America’s first high speed rail line. Congress surprisingly showing up for Amtrak in its annual budget. Elon Musk pushing for privatization. A strong showing for trains in the Senate’s budget proposal, and advocates who have even bigger hopes for the future. It seems like every time you turn on the news, there’s an explosive new headline about passenger rail in America — but what’s really driving them all?

On this episode of the Brake, we sat down with the most plugged-in rail advocate we know, Jim Mathews of the National Rail Passengers Association, to break down some of the biggest rail stories of the day and give us a sense of where the State of the Union stands for this critical mode. And along the way, we dig into some stories you might have missed, like the massive freight merger that should make Amtrak passengers nervous, and more.

Give it a listen, and don’t forget that U.S. DOT is currently accepting public comment on its proposal to Advance a Surface Transportation Proposal that Focuses on America’s Most Fundamental Infrastructure Needs through August 20. Step-by-step instructions on how to submit a public comment (including comments in support of the policies outlined in this interview) are available here.

For an unedited transcript of this conversation (with some AI typos), click here.