While the US was a passenger train pioneer in the 19th century, after WWII, railways began to decline. The auto industry was booming, and Americans bought cars and houses in suburbs without rail connections. Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail.
Why does the US not have bullet trains?
U.S. rail tracks are typically too old to handle the speed of new train technology. The limits of the rails can reduce the effectiveness of the train speeds, sometimes by more than 100 mph. The issues with the rail run from overly sharp curves to old bridges.
Why doesn’t the US use electric trains?
What percentage of US railways is electrified?
As a result, electrified rail is currently used on less than 1 percent of U.S. railroad tracks while electricity supplies more than one-third of the energy that powers trains globally.
Does the US have any fast trains?
Amtrak's Acela, which reaches 150 mph (240 km/h) over 49.9 mi (80.3 km) of track and Brightline, which runs at 125 mph (201 km/h) in a dedicated ROW between Orlando and Cocoa, are the US's only high-speed rail services.
How fast can an electric train go?
Using experience gained from more than a decade of regular operation, China has now developed its own 600 kph (373 mph) Maglev trains and has ambitious plans for a network of Maglevs, including a line between Shanghai and Hangzhou.