How to travel at 357 MPH legally
 

I don't know what's the US waiting for.... Can you imagine DC to NY in 45 mns....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8skXT5NQzCg&eurl

We're sooo late in public transportation compared to Europe :(

That's because in Europe the government initiates these sorts of projects, and much of the government spending goes towards infrastructure upgrades. Here in the US the only time the government spends on infrastructure is when the owners of the company getting the contracts give large donations to political campaigns, and even then the projects usually aren't very productive or things we really need, but just a good excuse to spend a lot of money on crap so that some corporation can make a buck. Thus, we have the same crappy infrastructure from decades ago.

If you are a capitalist, then you would believe that private industry would build this sort of thing if there was a demand for it. Oh well....I guess there is no demand for it. Apparently we Americans like taking slow trains that take an hour just to get from one side of New York City to the other.

If you are a politician, why support a project that will result in many people using trains that run on electricity for transportation, when instead they can take planes and cars that run on gasoline. Add that to the fact that the oil companies donate large amounts of money to your campaign, and that building such a train will increase government spending, and thus increase taxes, and then what is your decision going to be?

come on eric, gotta call bs on that one.

the answer is simple - roads are perceived by the public as free (paid for by gas taxes and other things), and transit usually requires special purpose add-on taxes (sales taxes in most places, but in some, like seattle, a motor vehicle excise tax).

so, roads are free, transit costs money. almost all politicians take the free option, because it has less risk for them, making it easier for them to keep their jobs.

politicians are afraid to do anything for fear of losing their job.

I had the same question when I was in France last time. Will reduce the overloaded air traffic too.

personally, my fastest was .9 mach :D