I agree with Carol on this one. It reflects the position I have been advocating since the inception of HSR. My comments have been that it is necessary to build parallel, even adjacent tracks for a lower speed (90-125 mph)system to provide either forward or reverse connectivty to all of the cities that will want HSR to stop in their little town. Carol's point is obvious. By the time all of the cities wanting to be a stop are serviced, you no longer have a high-speed system. Parallel tracks would allow the HSR portion to limit stops to maybe 4 or 5 and still allow the regional communties to have access. This realization probably has not escaped the planners of the HSR, it just carries a lot of baggage because it means a higher cost to an already expensive (but necessary, IMHO)system. I would like to see the HSR include a wide enough ROW for such a secondary medium speed system, and development of more light rail in medium size cities to connect to the MSR.