Will High Speed Rail Save America?

Building out our high speed rail has been a big topic of conversation lately in the U.S. and Canada. With Brightline constructing a bullet train between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Amtrak bolstering their fleet, and many more proposals in the works to construct high speed rail corridors - it's easy to wonder what the economic viability of high speed rail in North America will be.
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TIME STAMPS
0:40 The Terrain of the U.S.
1:24 Amtrak Kinda Sucks
3:06 The Car Lobby
4:05 Vegas to LA
4:47 Canada
5:22 Infrastructure Funding
5:56 Wages and Housing
7:22 New Jobs
7:56 Environment and Mental Health

[@UrgentlyFiring]

Choo choo!

[@cookingwithsilence]

As long as they don't try to make another hyperloop!

[@UrgentlyFiring]

My poor hometown has been the victim of a lot of failed experiments 😅

[@u2b83]

One issue with rail is status. Consider the pickup truck status competitions in TX lol
Regarding freight prioritization over Amtrak, rail’s role as a scapegoat in transportation policy reflects deeper issues of our nation's values and priorities.
Girardian analysis lol:
Rail as a Scapegoat for Urban and Environmental Problems: The rail system in the U.S. often becomes a scapegoat for broader issues such as urban decay, inefficiency, and pollution. Criticizing or underfunding rail transport becomes a way for society to address-or appear to address-these issues without confronting more complex systemic problems like car dependency or inadequate urban planning.
Collective Violence Against Public Transport
Symbolic Violence: The underdevelopment and criticism of rail transport can be seen as a form of symbolic violence where the public collectively participates in denigrating or marginalizing rail as a viable mode of transport. This phenomenon aligns with Girard’s notion of the community uniting against a common enemy or scapegoat, in this case, the rail system, to reinforce social cohesion among those who choose cars.
Cars as Mediators of Social Identity: Cars in the U.S. are not just transport tools but key mediators of social identity and status, reflecting individual choices and lifestyles. Rail does not offer similar scope for expressing personal identity or status, making it less appealing in a culture that values individualism and personal expression highly.
Avoiding Mimetic Rivalry: In Girard's view, avoiding conflict is often achieved by differentiation. The automobile allows for personalization (make, model, color, accessories), enabling individuals to distinguish themselves from others. Rail travel offers less opportunity for such differentiation, leading people to prefer cars where they can avoid the mimetic rivalry of public spaces.