I read about plans in Canada, both new true high-speed (see LYNX project, and more recent with a historical overview just the other day) and existing line upgrades (see here and here), that were raised and buried repeatedly over the past ten years. Canada of course has it difficult with long distances and a small population ( -> small tax income), but not that difficult... the election of Bush pal Harper did not help, either.

I understand that the trip from Vancouver to Calgary is never going to happen at 400km/hr because of all the mountains, avalanches and rock slides. One simply could not maintain the track for speeds of even 80km/hr.

Well, actually, from a technical viewpoint, it's doable: high-speed trains can do higher grades than freight trains, one could also build longer tunnels, be them for mountains, cutting curves or avoiding rockfall danger zones. Most of Japan is mountainous, too: 102 km(!) of the Jōetsu Shinkansen runs in tunnels (I recently calculated that a Denver-Salt lake City route would need not much more). It's more the cost factor vs. the smaller size of cities to be served that speaks against it.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}