Ron Butler, a commentator on infrastructure and public policy, posted a series of tweets on April 2, 2026, discussing the challenges facing high-speed rail projects in North America. Butler compared population densities between regions and questioned the financial viability of such rail systems.
In one tweet, Butler noted the differences in land mass and population density between Europe and Canada: “Europe is roughly the same land mass as Canada with 20X the population Japan, Korea, China everybody understands the populations are massively large versus the country’s size Even if the High Speed Rail is built in what we call dense population corridors it’s not the same” (April 2, 2026).
Butler also commented on efforts to build high-speed rail in the United States: “There’s really no High Speed Rail in the United States either California tried to build a line between Los Angeles & San Francisco which is 20% shorter distance than Toronto & Quebec City & 3X the population Spent BILLIONS & got nothing Regulatory Madness killed it” (April 2, 2026).
Addressing potential profitability issues for such projects, Butler stated: “Not even close Oh & would the Revenue from the Rail Lines ever come close to covering the money spent after completion: Nope NEVER In fact, if High Speed is built the whole thing will likely end up as ANNUAL LOSSES just on maintenance Yep: permanent losses” (April 2, 2026).
High-speed rail has been proposed or attempted in various parts of North America but faces significant obstacles. Population density plays a crucial role in determining demand for high-speed trains; regions like Europe and East Asia have greater concentrations of people along transit corridors compared to much of Canada or many U.S. states. Additionally, regulatory complexities and funding challenges have hindered progress on several American high-speed rail initiatives. For example, California’s attempt to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco has encountered escalating costs and bureaucratic delays.
