“You can’t legally plow through cities at 150 mph in a train. You have to go 30mph for safety regulations. And who the hell wants to go to Fresno in the first place, let alone on a train?”
Where on earth did you ever get such an idea?
Amtrak runs 100mph, 125mph, and faster right through urban areas.
I’m retired now, but I used to run passenger trains through the outlying areas of Boston (Readville area) at 100mph. They’re going that fast now, or faster, with the Acela service.
They don’t waste any time through densely-populated New Jersey, either.
Coming into New Carrolton (MD, just out of DC), they’re at 100 (or even a bit faster).
Where did you ever get such an idea?
I guess you’re not aware of railroad speed limits? How can that be?
I traveled by Amtrak quite often throughout the US and became aware of the speed limits. Not only can the feds regulate the speed, but state and local entities have a say in them also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_the_United_States_(rail)
In the United States, the Federal Railroad Administration has developed a system of classification for track quality.[6][7] The class of a section of track determines the maximum possible running speed limits and the ability to run passenger trains.
Track type Freight train Passenger
Excepted [us 1] <10 mph (16 km/h) not allowed
Class 1 10 mph (16 km/h) 15 mph (24 km/h)
Class 2 25 mph (40 km/h) 30 mph (48 km/h)
Class 3 40 mph (64 km/h) 60 mph (97 km/h)
Class 4 [us 2] 60 mph (97 km/h) 80 mph (129 km/h)
Class 5 [us 3] 80 mph (129 km/h) 90 mph (145 km/h)
Class 6 110 mph (177 km/h)
Class 7 [us 4] 125 mph (201 km/h)
Class 8 [us 5] 160 mph (257 km/h)
Class 9 [us 6] 200 mph (322 km/h)
My grandpa was a lifer brakeman for Burlington Northern, later full conductor for Amtrak. Never heard of 125 mph, ever.
Not saying wrong, just never seen it, or heard of it.