"Finally the Truth"
You can rave about all the figures you like but the proof is in the Pudding.
Sprocket check has nailed it, no Decision will be made in yours or my life time.
Actually you (and Sprocket Check) are probably right about that bit.
Maybe in my lifetime but it is certainly years away.
Williamtown is a tough call. Running high-speed rail through that sort of country is pretty expensive and while everyone says they want high speed rail, international experience says it doesn't pay with low population density like we have here. The patronage just wouldn't be there for many years unless you had multiple stops on the central coast (which is admittedly pretty underserviced) but then it wouldn't be high-speed.
I think Richmond is more likely. Already a train line and the duplication is already planned so extra capacity is not that hard to add (the corridor is already reserved).
Fog might be a problem but fog isn't the problem it used to be. Now Nimbyism - that will be a huge problem.