Exactly. You can book an airline flight between point A and B and travel there at 500 mph.
You touched on things I hadn’t even thought about. The right of way to lay the track is bound to deprive many of their property rights.
I like trains. I have ridden on trains on 3 continents. I just don’t think the concept of a high speed train as they talk about will every be a good idea. If they every started with a route that went from a highly populated area to a vacation destination like Vegas, that might work. You could zip in and out easily. No need for a car once you are at the Vegas destination. That concept is at least rational.
On the other other hand, a high speed train in my area would be a complete boondoggle. Yet, the local democrats have been trying to get a high speed train for over a decade.