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Originally Posted by afiggatt
Doubt if anyone will switch to turbine powered diesels in the US anymore because of high fuel consumption and high maintenance costs. At current fuel costs, just not going to happen.
To get Acela type speeds, full grade separation will be necessary on the >=125mph portions and really anywhere above 100-110 mph. And the line would have to be electrified, which is going to the less expensive than the curve straightening and grade separation components. Should point out that the NEC still has 11 grade crossings, all in eastern CT on a stretch of the Shore Line East, so one does not have to close all grade crossings to have a 150 to 160 mph train route. Amtrak should restart efforts to close some of those grade crossings permanently over the protests of the NIMBYs, but that is a NEC subject.
The best options in general for electrified HSR corridors in the Midwest will be on abandoned rail lines or barely used lines which can brought from the freight companies and used to construct or cobble together a HSR route. Will not be inexpensive.
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Some variation of the Bombardier Jet Train would be a practical option. It has a diesel engine in addition to the turbine to get around the fuel consumption issues with low speed operation/idling.
Amtrak is also limited to 75mph through the remaining grade crossings in CT. You can have crossings on an high speed route, you just can't be going fast through them...which if you have a lot of crossings kind of defeats the point.