All that space and variety makes it even more baffling that apparently it's simply impossible to build even one decent city anywhere in the US that didn't have one in 1900, much less a proper conurbation like those in the Blue Banana.

A better comparison might be China which has an extensive rail network.

Ever tried to get from Italy to Northern Europe? They are now building a truly incredible tunnel to make it easier.

This is a common rebuttal, but it doesn’t hold water