[bluGill]

> infrastructure cost of long-distance High Speed Rail in the US

Is 4 to 7 times higher than anywhere else in the world. We need to bring it down to reasonable levels.

>commuting patterns in the country are too car-oriented

HSR isn't for commuting. It is for trips longer than a normal commute. The US is car-oriented - but I disagree with the word "too". HSR won't do as well (at least for the first dozen years) as other countries, but there are a lot of places where it should do well enough if we ever build it for a reasonable cost.

> intercity buses are very widespread in Europe

They also are in the US.

[DrBazza]

HSR is for commuting in additional to longer travel. I say this as someone that uses the HS1 line in the UK to commute to London at 140mph.

The key is the commute is under an hour, one stop, and it’s into London which a massive source of jobs in South east England.

I agree with your comment that HSR doesn’t do well for a decade. My train runs on the Eurostar line. That took a decade to draw people from planes. And the domestic train that I catch is now standing room only into London.