Part of the problem is that HSR is fast, technically feasible, heavily used, and economically viable in France, Germany, China, Japan, and other places.
So, the most useful analysis would be:
1. What factors are preventing HSR from being fast, technically feasible, heavily used, and economically viable in the United States? (More concretely, why does California's HSR suck so much when it's been demonstrated that HSR doesn't necessarily have to suck?) Demographics (e.g. population density and layout)? Political and legal constraints? Terrain? Culture?
2. How does the Hyperloop mitigate or sidestep these problems, due to its superior specifications or design differences from HSR?
3. For additional insight, what would California's HSR have had to do differently to mitigate or bypass these issues, and would it even have been possible?
So, the most useful analysis would be:
1. What factors are preventing HSR from being fast, technically feasible, heavily used, and economically viable in the United States? (More concretely, why does California's HSR suck so much when it's been demonstrated that HSR doesn't necessarily have to suck?) Demographics (e.g. population density and layout)? Political and legal constraints? Terrain? Culture?
2. How does the Hyperloop mitigate or sidestep these problems, due to its superior specifications or design differences from HSR?
3. For additional insight, what would California's HSR have had to do differently to mitigate or bypass these issues, and would it even have been possible?