As someone who deeply cares about the state of our railroads, I've noticed a glaring issue - the lack of electrification in inter-city passenger rail outside of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. Yes, there is the Keystone Corridor, but why does it stop there? The reasons are multifaceted and complex - from the collapse of Penn Central to Conrail's missteps, private ownership of railroad tracks, and an overall lack of investment in US passenger railroads.

You may think that additional electrification is not possible, but it is. The Trans-Siberian Railway is electrified from end to end as is the Eurostar. And that's without mentioning that back in the heyday of American railroads, several railroads had considered electrification, but the only the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Milwaukee Road jumped on the bandwagon. Companies like the Erie Railroad (Later Erie-Lackawanna) and the Reading Company only electrified small portions of their commuter rail networks.

Passenger rail doesn't need to be profitable; it needs to serve people to its fullest potential. Yet without electrification, we're not reaching that potential. In Europe and Asia, electrified railways are standard due to their efficiency and environmental benefits. According to a study by International Energy Agency (IEA), electric trains are up to 3 times more energy-efficient than diesel trains.

The time has come for us as a nation to invest in our railway infrastructure and commit ourselves towards sustainable transportation solutions. By urging freight rail companies – who own most U.S railroad tracks – we can start making significant strides towards nationwide railway electrification.

Let's take this step together for better service quality on our inter-city passenger rails while also contributing positively toward environmental sustainability. Please sign this petition today!

Part of the inspiration for this petition comes from this video, courtesy of Alan Fisher, better known as the armchair urbanist.