Will BULLET TRAINS come to the U.S ? August 2009

[StellarSoldier001]

I had once held trains at a pessimistic glance, until I moved to Illinois. Currently, I have saved $2000, money I would've spent on gasoline. I think its possible that we can build a high-speed train that could link the east and west cost together, it just depends on if the people wish to commit the funding for it.

[deedundone]

Well those states stupidly rejected those funds and ideas..........Well.....maybe not stupidly, but come on......we have always marveled the world, but now our public mass transit just isnt there..............

[chaos42088]

God Bless the President and Vice President of the United States. Did you know that the entire Los Angeles freeway system was planned to have a rail network running down the center of every interstate. It was scrapped. And thus we slowly observe modern Los Angeles. How bout them gas prices.

[BleedingHeart1970]

F***. If y'all haters think we can't ride trains in the future, then think about sitting in traffic for 10 hours a day. We can build these high-speed trains and give some money to the school system simultaneously, so we can build, for example, 3/4 of the tracks, and give enough cash leftovers to get enough teachers in schools, and then save more money by having drivers ride the finished portion of the track, thus saving more money to eventually complete the rail system. I strongly believe that

[lanier2k5]

Imagine, riding a highspeed train from San Fransisco to LA in 2 hours. Next, instead of renting a gas fired internal combustion carriage, you go to the "city electric rental exchange", you pay the "Meter" for an electric car. You drive around the city to conduct your business, return to the exchange, board your train, and return to San 'Fran'. Now, if that is not GREEN, I'm blue. That has to be profitable! The technology is available for this to work, TODAY!!

[ispyonu20]

America needs those high-speed trains!!! because they're green and protect the environment. We need to get cracking on that now and I am glad that the USA in back on track!! let's GO AMERICA!!! that can be possible!!! xD

[milad2007halo3]

We seriously need Train Metros like the Moscow metro in Every u.s state with new trains....i haven' seen any good ones yet in my State.

[TheDylanJoyce]

They should make it another Amtrak train instead of California High Speed Rail

[Acela1a]

@TheDylanJoyce I hope I does not end up like the Acela not just for the speed but the train Fare. One Example from the Acela Fare from Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia to New York City, New York 120$ compaired to the Northeast Regional for 45$. The only difference in time was by 10 mins.

[growingup15]

Thats awsome. i would love to see a Bullet train come threw Columbia,SC one day.

[animelubbor432]

@growingup15 yeah would be nice if they made an offshoot through Columbia. I think they are going to put one through Charlotte if they do it

[0ct0ct09]

Lets hope its true.

[acelakid94]

For the Acela Express it's not so much that the tracks are bad, but really that the catenary (overhead wires) are very outdated and can't handle higher speeds.

[Schola718]

Yea the makers of this presentation are ignorant! The Acela runs 100 mph or better between wash and Boston, and so does the Regionals and Long Distance trains. MJ had it right the Acela only slows for sharp curves which there are a lot on the NEC and temporary speed restrictions. I want the makers of this presentation to stand on a platform at New Brunswick, NJ when an Amtrak comes through!

[bornbillsmith]

The problem with the Acela is that it breaks down too often and you end up getting there late and they still charge you extra to take the Acela even if it takes longer then the regular train to get where you are going..

[gibb1991]

They need to do what the Spanish AVE (Renfe) does. If the high speed train is more than five minutes late or malfunctions, the passengers get a full refund.

[mj1234321]

That strikes me as poor reporting. "The tracks are so bad the Acela limps along at 80 mph"...definitely gives a false impression. The Acela runs at 100+ mph on quite a few stretches, and an average of 80 when factoring in stops is pretty respectable! And where the speeds are lower, it's not that the tracks are necessarily bad, but that the alignment of the right of way just doesn't allow for high speeds.

[ajl1239]

Yes, the Acela only goes about 150 mph for something like 18 miles.

[mj1234321]

It used to be 18 miles, now it's more like 32 miles or so of 150 mph track. There's also additional track that's good for 135 mph, such as the straight stretch between New Brunswick and Trenton, NJ.

[mattdean1003]

The tracks are so bad that it limps along at about 80? Wow, what an exaggeration. I've ridden on the NEC and the Crescent train that I rode went anywhere from 100 to 120 mph, per my gps.

[poseidoncambria]

They mean average speed. The Acela does hit 150 mph somewhere north of New York, but its average speed is still around 80 mph.

[murjax]

What you probably don't realize here is that they're averaging the speed limit on the entire NEC. If you averaged between New Haven, CT and Boston South Station the average would be much higher than 80. Same with New York to Washington. That's most of the corridor right there. Why you may wonder? Metro North's New Haven Line. Amtrak uses their trackage between New Rochelle, NY and New Haven, CT, and they have the worst trackage on the NEC. The speed limit is a mere 70-75 MPH at tops.