02-26-2019, 05:09 PM
macphanatic wrote:
The biggest issue is that a lot of the rail that Amtrak runs on is owned by the freight tail lines. So, their trains have the right of way.
This, and the refusal to spend money to upgrade tracks to support higher speeds are the two major reasons that long-distance train travel is ridiculous in the US for anything except the experience of sitting on the train.
It is so nice travelling in France, Italy, etc on trains...fast, convenient, with train stations right in the city centers. The high speed routes travel at 300 kph (186 mph) and have speedometers in the cars. It's interesting to watch the telephone poles flying past as though they're a picket fence.