The North-East Corridor (NEC) is basically our already-existing high speed train system: Amtrak's Acela. The problem is that it was a regular speed train system

The North-East Corridor (NEC) is basically our already-existing high speed train system: Amtrak's Acela. The problem is that it was a regular speed train system before that (and still is) and although some upgrades were made to the existing railbeds, their locations, slopes, and curves can't be changed much because of the population density throughout the region. That slows the trains down, and prevents real high speed trains in one of the US regions where it makes the most economic sense to have them. Business and government travel between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington is HUGE, and the little jumper flights between these cities are lousy.