The general layout and terrain of the line probably make it incredibly difficult to "speed up" regardless of how much money you dump into it. While it does go t

The general layout and terrain of the line probably make it incredibly difficult to "speed up" regardless of how much money you dump into it. While it does go through some population centers it has to meander through mountains and follow rough/barren coast lines that don't really offer great opportunities for future growth and ridership. The high speed line through the central valley makes more sense when you consider these limitations. If they're able to speed things up enough then it does become competitive with air travel - but this is definitely a case of "time = money". It's much easier for higher-paid individuals to just take a a short flight for day trips to LA/SF than sit in a train or traffic.