[logfromblammo]

In the US, rail freight is king. Passenger rail only has priority to the extent that the trains can run on schedule. And they do not run on schedule.

Express service between Philly and Chicago would probably require new, dedicated, above-grade track, and would not be competitive with any of airline, automobile, or bus travel for decades. Existing passenger trains in the US (other than the Acela) just can't get from A to B fast enough--or even just arriving at a predictable time!--to be worth the fare.

It is definitely easier to build a self-driving car than fix passenger rail in the US, probably by two orders of magnitude.