High-Speed Rail

of high-speed rail: Japan was one of the first believers in Shinkansen high-speed trains, and although it may have been surpassed by its French and other European competitors, it still has one of the most impressive (and expensive to travel on) high-speed railroad networks in the world.

That's incredible!
You forgot the pioneers of high speed rail: Japan!
Japan has a big HSR infrastructure that wasn't mentioned!
Would you correct this in the near future?

Although these illustrations are interesting and pretty they are not to scale. Europe is much smaller than the US, and over long distances air travel is perferable. Consider a 3.5 hour plane trip from Miami to New York City, or a 20 + hour train trip.
Adjacent cities with large joint commerce can benefit from these high speed train systems, because and hour plane flight with the time to get to and from the airport & check in is often roughly equal to a 4 hour train trip.

Unfortunately, due to poor politics I foresee the local government restricting or moving high speed lines into areas were they least accessible. Hence the old conundrum, give the money to government and they waste it, give to business and they spend it wisely.
Dr. Brian Glassman
Ph.D in Innovation Management from Purdue University