Ill. Amtrak train set to hit 110 mph in test run

[MicaelS]

14. For true high speed passenger rail service...

You need even straight track with heavy (135 lb or heavier for each yard of rail) continuously welded rail on concrete tries that is dedicated to passenger trains ONLY, no freight trains. And for safety reasons, the high speed passenger rail track can not have any street, road or highway crossings.

Freight trains, especially the bulk commodity trains like coal, rock, grain that the RRs want for the high freight fees they deliver, can weigh 15,000+ tons for a 120 car train. That kind of weight beats up track, even track with continuously welded rail on concrete tries. And the freight railroads do not WANT passenger trains on their tracks, Amtrak does not pay enough and it delays their precious freight trains. That's the only reason we even have passenger trains today, because Amtrak is paying the RRs money, otherwise there would only be short distance light rail.

It would cost millions of dollars per each mile of new track for high speed passenger rail service, and that is just the cost of the track itself. It does not factor the cost of the buying the land, building over passes for cars and trucks, and the lawsuits that would develop because of the NIMBY effect of people not wanting 150 mph trains passing their homes several times a day.

I would love to see high speed passenger rail service all across the US, but I'm not holding my breath.