Should the US develop and begin operating a High Speed Rail service? Discuss

No. Amtrak has been funded by the government since its inception ... we don't need anymore budget drains like that. If this is going to be done, it needs to be done by the private sector (not the government).

Not unless it's self funding. Don't need another drain on the Federal budget.

Absolutely not. Our infrastructure is circling the toilet with a D- rating. We spend less than 1.5% on it (according to last night's episode of Engineering Disasters at least). All of those huge national development projects that we took on in the post Korean War years (under Ike's leadership) solidified our nation as certifiable grade A badassery. But many of those endeavors were rated at a 50 year lifespan, and we are long past that. These days, we put band-aids on aqueducts, tunnels, sewers, bridges, and roads. China is kicking our collective a$$es and better suited for that kind of project. Of course they'll all e dead in 50 years from air pollution, but they will probably go to war and expand their borders if it gets much worse.