Quote:
Originally Posted by electricron
Whether or not Uncle Sam buys up all the abandoned or lightly used railroad corridors or not, much more infrastructure improvements are needed to go fast. Like road overpasses and underpasses, broader curves, better built tracks to tighter or better tolerances, electrification, etc.
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Reducing the point-to-point time for multiple routes is as much a matter of improving slow city approaches as it is increasing speed in the open country. Multiple routes often enjoy the improvements enabled by modifying approaches. This work can improve commuter rail as well, where applicable.
In most of the Eastern United States, there isn't a need for 220mph HSR because the distances between the cities are so short. The real point-to-point speed gains are achieved by maintaining a Class 4, if not Class 6 speed across the terminal city metro areas.
As for private ownership, you omitted from your list the tyranny of airline deregulation. The Midwest used to have hubs in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. Now the only hubs are in Chicago and Detroit, and that's unlikely to change.
Since Delta moved its secondary hub from Cincinnati to Detroit after 2005, there is now no direct flight between Cincinnati and St. Louis, Cleveland, or Nashville. No rail service connects them either. You're either driving your own car, renting one, or taking Greyhound.
Amtrak won't be competing with airlines in those corridors because the airlines are never coming back.