After reading the article, I can't help but feel that high speed rail is not:

. An optimal solution to a problem or

. A sexy solution looking for a problem

but that it's an integral part of an entire society and lifestyle that some people want to embrace. Serious people-mover rail seems to be an organic part of some countries that are different in 100 (1000? 10,000?) different ways that people would like to emulate

The arguments about serious modern rail investment look to be proxy arguments.