So 150 to 200 MPH? I can get behind that.

I think the real problem with trains though is that because they do multiple stops and airlines don't, the maximum speed isn't the issue.

Take a flight from Portland to San Francisco, under 2 hours, 1 hour, 48 minutes says Google.

Amtrak is 21 hours, double the time as driving it (I say this as someone who HAS driven it. A couple of times now, it's actually a really nice drive.)

But the problem is the multiple stops, you can't go 200 MPH because there isn't enough time to get up to speed before you have to slow down for the next stop.

Portland to Salem is 47 miles. Salem to Albany is 24 miles. Albany to Eugene is 44 miles. You don't really have a chance to open up the speed until you hit the run to Chemult which is 101 miles.

1:55p | 2:22p - Portland, OR - Union Station (PDX)

3:36p | 3:39p - Salem, OR - Amtrak Station (SLM)

4:11p | 4:14p - Albany, OR (ALY)

5:08p | 5:15p - Eugene, OR - Amtrak Station (EUG)

8:13p | 8:13p - Chemult, OR (CMO)

9:58p | 10:08p - Klamath Falls, OR (KFS)

12:45a | 12:45a - Dunsmuir, CA (DUN)

2:31a | 2:31a - Redding, CA - Amtrak Station (RDD)

4:12a | 4:12a - Chico, CA (CIC)

6:28a | 6:48a - Sacramento, CA - Sacramento Valley Station (SAC)

7:05a | 7:05a - Davis, CA (DAV)

7:54a | 7:54a - Martinez, CA (MTZ)

8:29a | 8:39a - Emeryville, CA (EMY)

8:54a | 9:09a - Oakland, CA - Jack London Square Station (OKJ)

Then you hop a bus from Emeryville to San Francisco proper which is another hour or so. Or stay on the train to Oakland and get a bus there. Same deal, about an hour.