What is the end (purpose) of the railway line? For instance HS2. More capacity is certainly needed, but can this be achieved in other ways? Shame that in my memory, perfectly good major routes from the south to the north and across the north were closed down. Some parts have been built over. Maybe some creative demolition is in order. Or smaller headways through in-cab signalling, so more capacity. Other ways you could think of. As to competing with aeroplanes, how about a carbon tax? Time spent on a train journey is not wasted: you can still work on board. As far as I am concerned, the jury is still out on HS2. Worst of all would be a half-bottomed version of HS2 which ended in Birmingham (not even New Street with its conncections) and left the rest of Britain high and dry.
Railways are also fun, except when they’re in cuttings or behind sound fences, or the train is going to fast for passengers to take in the scenery.
Please pray for Haiti and Afghanistan, and for our suffering, wheezing atmosphere.