I mean, does the population density in the US support bullet trains? I know that both Japan & China for example have large population density within each city (whether you live in Osaka heading for Kobe or from Shanghai to Beijing, you get the picture) plus the governments of both countries invest heavily on the infrastructure including maintenance.
Distance is another factor between destinations, like from Nagoya to Kyoto it’s only 130km (80mi) and the commute by bullet train is 33 minutes while from New York to DC it’s 226mi taking you 4 hours by car but via bullet train, the commute time is less than it would be from driving alone. The cities in Japan are closer to each other by comparison.
China is a large country (not big as let's say like Russia in terms of land size) alongside varying topography and climates (they can still install tracks in uneven terrain but adjusting how they are installed), although their population is larger than the US (they have about more than 1.4 billion people as a country while the US is about 348 million).
The taxes work differently across countries, like in both Japan & China: they have the funds gathered from taxation allowing them to maintain constant upkeep or make further improvements. Well, what does the US government spend their taxes on? That in itself also lies the question whether the taxes citizens are already paying are worth it.
Taxes exist in all countries regardless, as governments need funding to maintain and improve infrastructure, roads, schools, hospitals, etc. The real question is: how is the government using that money? For example, in Japan the reason why public transport is considered reliable is due to their government using people's taxes for upkeep & bullet trains.
You are not informed enough to talk about this.
Do not think the only gaps you had is what I'm addressing, or that this now makes you knowledgeable enough to speak on the topic:
Public funding built the tracks, then railroad corporations bought it cheap saying they'd pay maintenance. Instead they bought insurance, let accidents happen. Then double dip from insurance and federal emergency relief for toxic spills.
The freight already goes where people are and it comes from another location people are...
And again, they weren't planned/built to just move freight, line were laid to move people between citities.
Fucking rail settled the west bub...
We built up faster than Europe, because there's that whole "desert thing" in the middle of America on one half, and mountains on the other.
A century after the interstate train system, which was built before the Model T was invented....
I'm sure the rest of your comment is helpful and informative, but that first sentence got you a downvote from me.
You can add to someone's point or even correct them without telling them they can't talk about something.