Improvements between 1857 and 1930 is truly impressive (6 weeks to 3 days from NY to CA). The lack of progress since then (1930 to 2013, almost the same amount

Improvements between 1857 and 1930 is truly impressive (6 weeks to 3 days from NY to CA). The lack of progress since then (1930 to 2013, almost the same amount of time) is stark; it still takes 3 days to get to CA from NY by train. Almost no investment in railroads since US started building highways.