With high speed rail, the kind that other countries have plenty of, the sweet spot for rail would extend much farther than 200 miles. Tokyo <-> Kyoto, for example, is around 300 miles and is solidly still within the range of rail being a much better option than flying.
We can argue the exact distance, but it is details. His point is correct: rail makes sense for cities that are not very far apart. Rail trips across continents doesn't make sense (except as tourism).
