What would it take to get the U.S. to seriously consider high speed rail?

Common sense . We seem to be lacking in that department .

I live in NY state where a HS rail connection between Buffalo and NYC has been talked about seemingly forever. I was a supporter until I considered several factors. The first being cost, I can fly to NY for little more than the cost of a train ticket, AND don't have to be at the station at 5:30 AM. I don't see prices coming down with new trains and equipment. Consider also that a train would likely have to stop in Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and several other towns along the way (Figure 1/2 hr per) -- So the train goes 100 MPH and makes the trip in 4 hours add the stops and it's closer to 6.

I'd rather see the money spent on improved roads

the only way to to shape them more like breast the #gop can favor any penis shaped transport because then they might out themselves as the the Butt monkeys they really are. Not sure why anyone woudl think this was a bad idea unless teh airlines own congress and we all know that cant happen! #freedom #policestate

Hm mm, must not have payed off the right people...

Very very high oil prices.

I think American's are on board with anything new and cutting edge. Let us get to work building it.

Hell, let's go to the moon again. Mars. Beyond.

Release the hounds!

We don't need "people" to consider HSR, just POLITICIANS. For better or not, most people just smile and nod their head if their elected officials tell them X,Y, or Z thing will be beneficial to them. What's hold HSR isn't that's it's a waste of resources or those resources that would've gone to HSR are being spent better elsewhere (HA!). The lack of political will is first and foremost the thing that shits all over otherwise good ideas. Look ar Europe, Japan or China! They're making US look like cavemen.

We just need to do everything as much as possible over the internet. Don't go to a meeting for an hour or two that is half way across the country, just video chat.

A few billion in investment for improving internet would be a much wiser way to direct money.

Won't and probably shouldn't happen. That train has already left the station ;-)

Lots of people hung on Lyndon Baines Johnson's every word as he spelled out his "Great Society" on TV too.

Funny thing though, how in Sci-Fi movies they usually show transportation OVERHEAD either flying or suspended. Of course they can't really give us that because it would hurt Hollywood movies, so we get the dregs (whatever Hollywood doesn't need).

Americans don't eat stupid sandwiches any more, and they know a high ticket SHORT SHEET WHEN THEY SEE ONE, SNAKE OIL AND SCAM.

Obama will pay for it, fund it, and eventually BAIL IT OUT. On the other hand since I just designed a nifty spiral pyramid system that makes a dandy Space Elevator that one won't get funded, likely because of all the pimping money going into shortsheet projects, and their eventual BAIL OUTS.

Oil runs out.

(Oh and should deram be dream? The o in seriously is also missing).

Won't happen.

No surprise here, though I do wonder exactly whose dream it was.
Conservatives are all in bed with the airlines so they're hardly interested. Big Money might see it as a profitable boondoggle, a showpiece of US tech, but we're behind the curve on a worldwide basis so it's not marketable abroad. Anyway, it's currently categorized as a progressive (which means liberal which means socialist which means communist which means atheist which means EEEvil) idea; give 'em about 10 years and they'll brand it an "unfulfilled liberal promise" that they will correct for us.
I think progressives simply view HSR as an expenditure of resources that are better expended elsewhere. We need focus on local infrastructure; not just the oft-mentioned suspect bridges but expanded and viable public transportation, personal vehicles more capable of utilizing renewable energy sources, and safe and secure bike paths (golf carts too?). And let's not forget that our existing low-speed rail that can be a tremendous boon to cost-efficient transport with proper thought and improvement.
We progressives are probably better off spending the next 10 years (before the conservative-backed HSR body slam) understanding what our priorities are and, most importantly, establishing governance that does a much better job of evaluating and implementing (or not) new technologies. The answer cannot continue to be purely based on bullshit economics. We've been there for over a hundred years.... got the scars, got the frustration, got the anger.

Now, about that Mission to Mars! Cool! Can we hike there? I didn't think so.

Conquest by the French, probably.