I don't know where people get this idea.

America has several sets of eminent domain laws depending on the jurisdiction. The most coercive is federal eminent domain law specifically as it relates to building infrastructure like railways and highways.

It's set up so that you can take the land first and eventually go back around and decide on what the right price should have been.

Not only does it superscede state and local law, federal infrastructure projects are also not bound by state laws like CEQA.

You can even apply federal eminent domain law by e.g. transferring a state-level project to the Army Corps of Engineers.

What America is lacking in these projects is will, not means. The federal government could take your house and run a train through it by the end of the week if they wanted, doesn't matter where you live.

[edit] In fact some states even ceded their eminent domain rights to private railways.

https://ij.org/press-release/appeals-court-sides-with-railro...