You are not going to, ever, get fast trains on the east coast.
The train lines were built through the then village centers, now deep in urban areas and right through hevily populated, bridged suburbs.
And why is that a problem? You have to straighten out the rails and curves, which means the most expensive land takings, local disruptions ALL along the route. Think a trillion dollars. Maybe more.
You are never going to get the money, ever. It will take you decades in court, and you will lose politically because some of this would go though the wealthiest, most politically hooked up areas. In this day and age, the unwashed muddle class working stiffs are not going to have their burb town ripped up while elitists get favors.
Lastly, I don’t see any real economic need to move lawyers, academics, federal grant writers, hipsters and the occasional tourists much faster.
I tend to agree. It may very well be that the one place that a super fast maglev type 300 mph train would work it would be impossible to build.
I was just saying Boston to Washington does have the people to support it. Perhaps building it 20 30 40 miles from 95 could work? But then it might defeat the purpose.
Not a big fan of fancy new trains going from one place where there aren’t many people to another. Super fast, super expensive trains need a huge number of people to ride them. And it would be cool if it could happen. But it probably won’t.
I definitely wouldn’t start with the assumption that a new train is needed.