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[quote user="Gavriel609"] We all know that Japan and Europe are beating us in practically everything except for diabetes/obesity, carbon emissions and failing students, but something I personally cannot stand is that they're beating us in high-speed rails. [/quote]I'm not sure where you derived this POV that Japan and Europe are "beating" us, but evidently that POV doesn't include such minute things as average income, tax rates, unemployment rates,.....aka quality of life issues.  The only thing Europe is beating us in is the encroachment of socialism/junk science into our private lives.That being said......[quote] So, suppose the following:Someone has offered to lend our country $20 billion to build a high-speed railway. Something that all of you may notice is that this money is only going to heavily support one rail line. [/quote]Well, at least it's not taxpayer money.  I assume this is a speculative for profit venture, and not just a quirky example of philanthropy?[quote] Here are the options:A. Make the Adrionack line (New York City - Montreal) high-speedB. Make the Empire State/Maple Leaf (New York - Buffalo - Toronto) high-speedC. Build a high-speed line for California (San Diego - L.A. - Sacramento/San Francisco), noting that luckly, the Govenator has already approved of this planD. Build a high-speed line for the Texas Triangle (Houston - Austin - San Antonio - Dallas)E. Build a high-speed line for Florida (Tampa - Miami - Orlando)F. Make the Cascades line (Eugene - Portland - Seattle + Vancouver, BC) high-speedG. Follow CSX's plan to make Washington D.C. - Miami "the corridor of the future"[/quote]None of the above, for this reason:  If you want to build a prototype for-profit HSR, the first thing to look for is a corridor with the least amount of potential competition.  In my view that means no parallel Interstate Highways (never underestimate how the lack of an interstate highway can make travelers consider other options).  Secondly, choose a corridor that has some freight potential, aka potential UPS or FedEx contracts to help underwrite the project.That being said, I would opt for the following:Phoenix-Las Vegas-Reno-EugeneLA-Reno-Boise-SpokaneSalt Lake-Albuquerque-Lubbock-San AntonioKansas City-Little Rock-New OrleansSt Louis-Little Rock-Shrevepot-Houston[quote]H. Build awesome locomotives to gain our dignity and set a new speed record[/quote]Perhaps a rendition of the Coors Light Silver Bullet Express based on the Pennsy T1 concept?![quote] J. Remain Americans, and do nothing [/quote]You mean remain smart and practical?
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