America's High Speed Glory?: An Alternate History of the Metroliner

The United States of America has a sordid relationship with High Speed Rail. We've always wanted it, but we've never been able to attain it, and the one that has been introduced, while successful doesn't live anywhere close to its potential. This has a reason, and this relationship has an origin story that is as agonizing as its current status quo. The story of the Metroliner, America's first attempt at high speed rail in the 1960s is so frustrating. It had potential that was squandered. And if only one thing was different about it, it would have succeeded, and put the USA as a frontrunner of this game changing technology. Let's see what that could have looked like, and lament a bit about opportunities lost... and how it still would not have fixed all of America's rail woes. Link to the Momentum Report by Nolan Hicks: https://transitcosts.com/wp-content/u... Link to How the Railways will Fix the Future by Gareth Dennis: https://www.amazon.com/How-Railways-W... Chapters 0:00 America and it's High Speed Rail fantasies 3:54 How the Metroliner Actually Happened: The Rushed Panic Response 21:58 How it Could Have Gone: One Difference Makes a Juggernaut 45:41 This is Great... But There's a MASSIVE Underlying Problem... 49:54 Conclusion and Analysis Categories: #trains #metroliner #highspeedrailway #highspeedtrain #unitedstates #alternatehistory #whatif #amtrak #california #lasvegas #texas #amtrak #acela #brightline #electrictrains #northeastcorridor #newyork #washingtondc #cascadia #shinkansen #tgv #intercityexpress #intercitytrain #traffic #travel #airport #urbanism #highway #transportation #rail #railway #railroad #transit #usa #speed #chicago #illinois #passengertrain #passenger #pennsylvaniarailroad #penncentral