Here’s a great article/proposal on the feasibility and advantages of the US electrifying parts of it’s rail system: A synergistic set of solutions to multiple issues focused on Electrified Railroads.  It’s long, with tons of details, and I haven’t yet finished reading all the comments, but I plan to.

Aside from the obvious sustainability advantages they bring up a great point that may help convince the “militarized” US government: electrifying the railroads would create a non-oil strategic backbone transportation system.  The US currently has almost zero non-oil transportation.  When the exponential price curve of peak oil finally sets in, or if there were a massive oil embargo, the US is put into a very awkward position.  If backed into a corner their only choice would be to quickly bomb the crap out of someone to get oil access.  This isn’t a very realistic scenario, however, because the US has enough unwavering oil-supplying allies (like Canada), that their military, at least, could still function indefinitely.  Either way, it’s still a good strategic argument.