You left out one factor in the high speed rail equation.
Property.
that land is owned by someone. the rail company will need to buy it from lots and lots of people. and guess what? Politicians LOVE to make money off of real estate.
When it starts to look like a public funded rail system is going to go through, all the dirty ratfinks in government will go around buying up the land and then sell it to the rail project for 4times what it’s worth.
AND THAT IS WHY these stupid projects get funded even when they don’t make any sense.
Eminent domain. Problem solved.