I created this US High Speed Rail Map as a composite of several proposed maps from 2009, when government agencies and advocacy groups were talking big about rebuilding America's train system.

Having worked on getting California's high speed rail approved in the 2008 elections, I've long sung the economic and environmental benefits of fast trains.

This latest map comes more from the heart. It speaks more to bridging regional and urban-rural divides than about reducing airport congestion or even creating jobs, although it would likely do that as well.

Instead of detailing construction phases and service speeds, I took a little artistic license and chose colors and linked lines to celebrate America's many distinct but interwoven regional cultures.

The response to my map this week went above and beyond my wildest expectations, sparking vigorous political discussion between thousands of Americans ranging from off-color jokes about rival cities to poignant reflections on how this kind of rail network could change long-distance relationships and the lives of faraway family members.

Commenters from New York and Nebraska talked about "wanting to ride the red line". Journalists from Chattanooga, Tennessee (population 167,000) asked to reprint the map because they were excited to be on the map. Hundreds more shouted "this should have been built yesterday".

It's clear that high speed rail is more than just a way to save energy or extend economic development to smaller cities.

More than mere steel wheels on tracks, high speed rail shrinks space and brings farflung families back together. It keeps couples in touch when distant career or educational opportunities beckon. It calls to adventure and travel. It is duct tape and string to reconnect politically divided regions. Its colorful threads weave new American Dreams.

That said, while trains still live large in the popular imagination, decades of limited service have left some blind spots in the collective consciousness. I'll address few here:

Myth: High speed rail is just for big city people.

Fact: Unlike airplanes or buses which must make detours to drop off passengers at intermediate points, trains glide into and out of stations with little delay, pausing for under a minute to unload passengers from multiple doors. Trains can, have, and continue to effectively serve small towns and suburbs, whereas bus service increasingly bypasses them.

I do hear the complaint: "But it doesn't stop in my town!" In the words of one commenter, "the train doesn't need to stop on your front porch." Local transit, rental cars, taxis, biking, and walking provide access to and from stations.

Myth: High speed rail is only useful for short distances.

Fact: Express trains that skip stops allow lines to serve many intermediate cities while still providing some fast end-to-end service. Overnight sleepers with lie-flat beds where one boards around dinner and arrives after breakfast have been successful in the US before and are in use on China's newest 2,300km high speed line.

Myth: It will cost too much and won't make money, which is why private companies aren't doing it.

Fact: Ticket sales from most high speed trains, including America's existing Acela, more than cover the cost of operation. Since one train and crew can make more trips each day, labor costs, often one of the largest expenses for a railroad, can actually be lower than existing slower services.

While construction costs may need to be subsidized, this is no different than highway construction. Increased tax revenue from new businesses and property development can offset these costs. This means federal and state governments can ultimately make money while a private business without the ability to collect taxes might not.

Myth: Airlines will oppose high speed rail.

Fact: That might have been true in the old days of cheap oil and uncrowded airports, but these days air and rail complement each other rather than competing.

With airport runway space limited and expansion expensive, shifting intercity travel to trains reduces delays and keeps landing slots open for flights from further away and overseas. Already, airlines sell train tickets as part of a combined itinerary in the Northeast US to expand their list of destinations. Finally, fewer overall flights reduces demand for fuel and lowers airlines' fuel costs. That's Economics 101.

In summary, America needs to revisit the high speed rail conversation. Given how much my map got people talking and dreaming, I am more convinced than ever that there is public support and demand for a true high speed rail network.