re: Can high speed rail work in the United States?

Anything can work, with the proper investment. IMO, that ain't high speed rail. California has proven that whatever the estimates are for HSR, the actual costs are much higher. We have other fish to fry.

Was involved w local town politics in a small town here in Virginia and 15 years ago this was all the local progressives talked about. UNTIL further study showed it would split our railroad town in half as they'd have to put up a fence all along the tracks which go through the center of town.

Then everyone went all NIMBY and shut it down.

It's always funny how progressives are all about change until it impacts them.