The problem is not so much the speed, but rather that the Obama Administration is proposing to do all these projects in the Amtrak system. The Class Is cordially detest the Amtrak system and will fight vigorously against any attempt to clutter up any more of their route miles with varnish, even slow varnish, let alone fast. As far as I know, the only non-Amtrak proposals -- i.e., the agency will build the railroad as well as run the trains -- are the Florida plan, now ditched, and the California plan, now heading over a cliff for a substantial number of reasons.

We won't get more passengers on the trains unless they are faster and more reliable; we can't make them faster and more reliable without building our own railroad tracks; this is too expensive, so we kick the can down the road with half-measures.