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$11 billion later, high speed rail in US drags along

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Successful businesses focus on doing a few things very well.  They don’t try to be all things to all people.  The Administration’s approach to high speed rail attempted to spread the nation’s limited resources for passenger rail enhancements to too many projects instead of focusing on a few potentially successful ones.     Amtrak has been a failure, at least financially, because it has been forced for political reasons to meet the wishes of too many special interests, i.e. operate a skeleton national passenger rail system instead of focusing on a few corridors where passenger rail makes sense.  Why does Amtrak need a 90 minute schedule between New York and Washington?  It already has the lion’s share of the air/rail market between these two cities.  With an average speed of 100 mph, an Acela could cover the distance in 2 hours and 15 minutes, which is a half hour less than the current best schedule.  The current route probably could be upgraded to a point where an average speed of 100 mph is feasible without breaking the piggy bank.  And it would clearly be more cost effective than building a new railroad through the crowded northeast and Middle Atlantic States. Whether the United States’ high speed rail program is behind Europe and Asia is irrelevant. An improved passenger rail network should be crafted to meet the needs of America’s diverse regions.  Once size fits all is not an effective problem solving strategy.  There may be some best practices that can be taken from other countries, but the solution(s) should fit U.S. requirements.  It also should be crafted for U.S. culture, which is different than European or Asian cultures.    Many of the proponents of improved passenger rail don’t seem to know how to pay for it.  If the users won’t pay for it, then the taxpayers will have to pick-up the tab.  For a nation that is deep in debt, i.e. total government debt, personal debt, unfunded liabilities, etc., finding the money to pay for it will be a major challenge.  One thing is certain.  The Europeans, Japanese, and Chinese taxpayers are not going to pay for high speed rail service in the United States.
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