Trains and the future shape of our communities

What will the world look like, after the return to rails? Autos and airliners distribute population, writes Stilgoe; railroads concentrate it.

"Assume the train as a given, and suddenly many small satellite cities, often with very low real-estate values, become attractive to real-estate investors." Old roadbeds will be upgraded, rights of way previously converted to nature trails will be reclaimed and converted to high-speed passenger service.