The plan to turn over planning and operation of High Speed Rail on the 437 miles between Washington and Boston to a private company is based on experiences in other counties. The 117 billion dollar, 30 year plan for 200 plus mile per hour service proposed by Amtrak is daunting at best. What is not talked about in the press about the Mica/Shuster proposal is the creation of a new body which would own the NEC infrastructure but not run the trains. Such a new body would benefit Amtrak since much of Amtrak’s deficit comes from ownership of the NEC. Enewsletter May 31, 2011