Want to go cross country? You are definitely going to need a sleeper car.
Costs a LOT.
I can't imagine what the fares would be on this California train.
And BTW, Amtrak ALREADY goes from LA to SF.
And it actually passes through areas that you "might" want to get out and see.
Who would want to get off the train anywhere in the CA desert?
Yes on rented/shared commercial freight lines where the freight has priority.
On rails built and maintained for freight you will never achieve high speed (>120 mph).
But then who wants to go from LA to SF on rails anyway. Those who can afford drive or fly there will probably do so. Those who can’t certainly can not will probably take the bus which is cheaper and has more locations which to depart from and arrive to choose from
That is a problem with rail as well. The people that rail is supposed to really help, the lower income strata is better served by busses than rail.
You ain't kidding. I just checked out of curiosity. A sleeper car fare ONE WAY from LA to Seattle is $574. (In fairness, it would be the same price for two travelers sharing a 2-berth room. Also in fairness, meals are said to be included ... but what does that mean? The website doesn't explain "meals included.") Even that does NOT include one's own toilet or shower, which are "down the hall" and shared as in a boarding room. Remember "Midnight Run," "From Russia With Love" and "Silver Streak"? If memory serves, train rooms in those films were shown to include private bathrooms (tiny ones, sure), even on non-luxury trains. OK, Silver Streak was probably considered a first- or business-class train.