BOB2 has the right approach. Take things slowly and make improvements to the existing infrastructure. The thing that needs to be addressed is that the system operates on its own track. operating passenger service on a railroad you don't control is detrimental to the whole program. No one thinks of the train because the on time performance is reprehensible. This is due to the railroads view of passengers and their effect on the bottom line. There is a VERY real reason that the railroads got out of the passenger business and even though they are no longer footing the bill for the operation,the trains are still a scheduling headache. With traffic density increasing and any expansion of ROW facing such ardent opposition, any trains that use the line had better earn their keep.

If European rail ran like Amtrak, even for a day, heads would roll. We in the US are expected to take this poor performance in stride with an "Oh well, we eventually arrived" attitude. Until the reliability is improved, finding support for passenger rail of any magnitude is going to be a hard sell ; High speed or otherwise.