There's also a major issue of right of way. Atlanta has freight lines running right through very built up parts of the city (including right outside my condo wi

There's also a major issue of right of way. Atlanta has freight lines running right through very built up parts of the city (including right outside my condo window here--I see 6 Norfolk-Southern tracks with at least 100 trains per day). We've already had controversy over the amount of property that would have to be taken through eminent domain, even when just adding passenger lines to the existing rail corridors. There's no realistic estimate yet, but it will be in the tens of billions. Billions spent to tear down buildings and build up rail, for no certain benefit. That's a tough sell. Markets talk. As the article said, when rail was deregulated, the business ditched passenger and emphasized freight. That's what is in demand. If government has to fund something, that's often a signal that there is not an organic market demand for it.