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Yes, it's called eminent domain. But if the government attempts to do so you can file a lawsuit and argue that they don't have a right to purchase your property from you. These lawsuits are expensive and take a lot of time/effort, which makes building a railway impractical by this method. To "solve" this politically would require a constitutional amendment, which is obviously not going to happen for this issue.



But, as a previous poster said, these problems always seem solveable when building a freeway.


I think it's a question of public support, political will, and stamina.

People think of freeways as vital, so it's ok if I-69 through southern Indiana takes over 30 years from initial studies to completion.

If a train route took 30 years to build, it would be lambasted as a boondoggle and abandoned.


You can also try negotiating peacefully first: https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/virginia-a...


Governments usually do try negotiating peacefully first. It’s better for everyone involved than the alternative.




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