In that corridor, if the trains were substantially faster for the full corridor, then the trains would attract a larger market share simply because of being quicker, end to end, for many travellers ... and then the increase in patronage would all for a reduction in ticket costs compared to the present, and that would attract higher volume, and that would allow ticket costs to be further reduced.

That's exactly why the 2 hour and 3 hour boundaries are so important. With a central metro point of access and a much shorter check in time because of no serious load balancing problem, you provide a quicker route to some, and that short-circuits the whole "nobody takes it because its more expensive because nobody take it" vicious circle.

New York to Boston is 300km, 187 miles. A VHS train could do the trip in under an hour and a half. You can be an hour and a half getting to La Guardia and getting through the check in and the security line, and still be waiting in line to board the flight.


I've been accused of being a Marxist, yet while Harpo's my favourite, it's Groucho I'm always quoting. Odd, that.