> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express
Well, it lags by over 100km/h of allowed speed (and more in practice I tihnk), but then the fast trains in Germany can't use their top-speed in a lot of regions either. The network isn't even remotely as varied. But, as you say:
> Unsurprisingly, it goes through a high population density region.
Everything in Germany is extremely dense compared to large swathes of the US. It'd not be feasible to have every medium sized city on a high-speed train network in the US.
But the situation on the US west coast, where I now live, is really kinda bad. There not being reasonable "public"/rail transport between Seattle<->Portland<->SF/Bay Area<->LA is hard to understand from a European/German perspective, although I see the political perspective of it being hard to do.
You really get used to that tho. I recently went to a conference in Stockholm, and reflexively wanted to hail a cab from the airport to the hotel/venue. Just to remember to check public transport: 15min less than by car.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express
Unsurprisingly, it goes through a high population density region.
Even a route like this one wouldn't service all that many people and isn't even halfway across the country:
http://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=osrm_car&rout...
(It does a decent job of passing metro areas; Pittsburg, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Des Moines)