Transport committee  I can understand the resistance to electrification, primarily in a country that really hasn't had it in its history. I can tell you about our experience in North America. We operate freight trains up and down the northeast corridor every single day. There's nothing inherently that conflicts with freight movements when having overhead wires—other than a corporate desire to cooperate.

Transport committee  I can add that in the mid-1990s, Amtrak performed a series of demonstrations of European technology that included the X2000, the ICE Train, and the Talgo equipment, which really opened up the doors and started our whole process in the States. They were very successful, very well received.

Transport committee  Another barrier is that here in the United States we have introduced a series of strength or safety standards, referred to as Part 238. Most of this equipment is built to an international UIC standard, which is substantially less than the U.S. standards, but in order to build to U.S. standards it requires considerable engineering redesign of the equipment in order to bring it on board in the U.S.

Transport committee  I'm doing this in cooperation with Mr. Fuller. Is he present?