China's high-speed rail currently stands as a testament to what can be done in other countries, especially the U.S. 

A recent TikTok post from Alexandra Talty (@Alexandra_Talty) is not just an example of efficiency and cleanliness — it's also an indirect challenge. "When is the U.S. gonna catch up?" one commenter asked. 

@alexandra_talty Is this a China bullet train hype account?! Or a trashing LIRR account?! 😂😂😂You decide #bullettrain #highspeedrail #china #travelchina #chinesetiktok #americanexpat ♬ Who You Share it With - Layup

In the video, Alexandra highlights some of the features that make the train especially appealing to passengers. The clean bathrooms, great food options, and the incredible speed of the train were some of the points discussed. 

While high-speed rail is not likely to replace the traffic on our highway systems, at least not in most of our lifetimes, the enormous environmental benefits of well-maintained rail systems are undeniable.

The International Energy Agency's 2019 "The Future of Rail" report reveals that high-speed rail (HSR) releases 15-50g of carbon dioxide per passenger, compared to 100-150g in cars. 

While Long Island Rail Road is not technically HSR, it carries 350,000 passengers per day. Imagine the capabilities of state-to-state systems throughout the country. 

Fewer drivers on the road equals more energy efficiency, lower noise pollution, lower harmful emissions, and fewer particulates. We'll breathe cleaner air without longer commute times. It's difficult to argue with the robust and efficient capabilities of high-speed rail. 

As the icing on the cake, a study published in Nature Climate Change shows that HSR reduces passenger vehicles by 20.5 log points and freight vehicles by 15.7 log points. The result is an estimated reduction of 11.183 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.  

"I need to do a video of the LIRR this summer for these comparisons," Alexandra said. A comparison post will continue to show Americans the distinct environmental advantages of rail versus gas and diesel vehicles. 

As for now, comments were appreciative of the information and stark comparisons.

"Looks good," one user wrote. "Thanks for making this content."

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