Its not the tracks its the grade crossings

Money is being poured into tracks by state DOTs. The track will eventually wear back down to not so high speed. Think about freeways. What makes them so fast and able to have a sustained speed? No stop lights and no grade crossings. Projects like CREATE to eliminate grade crossings in Chicago and in other states not only will make passengers happy but drivers happy as well. Riding METRO North seemed to be a lot faster then Chicago's METRA because the grade crossings were eliminated a long time ago and the railroad was elevated in many places. Lets look at a long flat stretch of track of 30 miles out west with no grade crossings vs the Lake Shore Routes of CSX and NS.Buffalo CLV. Toledo I can tell you from Cab rides on NS Nickle Plate route that it seems to have way more grade crossings and take twice as long. I am aware of grade crossing elevation projects in the 1930s in Syracuse and Elmira NY. It cost a billion dollars in today's money. The railroads financed a good portion of those projects themselves. Think of the elevated portions of the LIRR thru Brooklyn. To have a private railroad do that today would be unthinkable and especially on a passenger only route. Shows you how big financial houses the PRR that owned the LIRR was and the NYC.

PS- If you are Joe or Jill congressperson I certainy would have a big sign at every grade crossing elimination project with my name in big letters saying your tax dollars at work. Grade Crossing Elimination will affect many more voters.