Why we don't have them ???

[Limoles]

Japan's Magnetic Levitation Passenger Train Just Broke The World Speed Record

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese maglev that is the fastest passenger train in the world has broken its own speed record.

Operator JR Central said the train reached 603 kilometers per hour (375 miles per hour) in a test run on Tuesday, surpassing its previous record of 361 mph (581 kph) set in 2003. The train traveled for just over a mile (1.8 kilometers) at a speed exceeding 600 kph (373 mph).

Japan's high-speed rail services are among the most advanced in the world, with hundreds of trains running each day with minimal delays. However, unlike regular shinkansen or "bullet trains" that run on steel rails, magnetic levitation trains hover above rails, suspended by powerful magnets.

The Maglev Test Line, near Mount Fuji about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Tokyo, is developing technology for use on a future 410-kilometer (250-mile) link that will reduce travel time between Tokyo and Osaka to just over an hour. The current minimum by bullet train is nearly three hours.

The maglev trains, begun as a project of Japan Airlines and the national railways with government support, have undergone decades of testing. Construction of the Tokyo-Osaka link, which is expected to cost more than 9 trillion yen ($76 billion), began in 2014.

The line, which will mostly run under mountains, is due to begin operations in the late 2020s. A similar system operates in Shanghai, linking its airport in the seaside suburbs of Pudong to the city's subway system.

[F6B1911]

...Why we don't have them??

"Cost Overruns."
Our government has a hard time doing the right thing with the American taxpayers money?

[stroguy]

Unions, government gouging, projected costs well below actual costs, we don't want them, we are a car society, we are hundreds times bigger than Japan.

It will be cheaper to go to Mars, which is probably going to bankrupt us. Back in the 50's and 60's it was exploration. Today it is exploitation of taxpayers.

[MarcPW]

Very simple: when Japan lost the war, USA said: no army. So immagine how much advanced any country who currently spend Billions in Army budget could be... (USA not the only one waisting so much $$$) Japan rebuild itself in just a couple of decades and became a great nation. If you visit you will be amazed at the share size of the cities, the facilities, infrastructures, etc.

[srt8-in-largo]

We'd rather use that technology for theme park rides

Seriously though, I'd be for this. Dallas to New York or Los Angeles in 5 hours.

[stroguy]

Japan actually spends very much on defense. 5 trillion Yen or 40+billion USD.

[edgeman55]

Japan actually spends very much on defense. 5 trillion Yen or 40+billion USD.

Drop in the bucket compared to our bloated 680+ billion defense budget and some of the boneheads in Washington would like to add 180 billion more or so.Think of what could be rebuilt,upgraded,created with that money and the middle class jobs it would help create.I find the fix to this country's economic problems are simple if we pay people middle class pay they will spend that money and create more jobs-That is true trickle down economics but the again this is my simple minded opinion.And yes we should of had high speed rail here years ago.Maybe we should get the people over there to come and build it for us cause we don't seem to make anything much new anymore except for things like a Smart Watch

[Limoles]

Drop in the bucket compared to our bloated 680+ billion defense budget and some of the boneheads in Washington would like to add 180 billion more or so.Think of what could be rebuilt,upgraded,created with that money and the middle class jobs it would help create.I find the fix to this country's economic problems are simple if we pay people middle class pay they will spend that money and create more jobs-That is true trickle down economics but the again this is my simple minded opinion.And yes we should of had high speed rail here years ago.Maybe we should get the people over there to come and build it for us cause we don't seem to make anything much new anymore except for things like a Smart Watch

Are you kidding ? I thought Smart Watches are made in China (?) .

[Old Ryder]

I have done a little research on this, since I had the same question. The answer is that the USA is just too darn big. Japan and many of the countries in Europe are smaller than a lot of states in the US. By the time you made it big enough, it would cost too much. Add to the problem is that the freight companies are the ones who dominate the railways in the US. They beat the tracks so bad that they are not suitable for high speed passenger service---and as was mentioned, the US is a "car country" with status attached to your vehicle and the freedom to go when and where you want (while gas is cheap, anyway). There are lots of commuter airline choices for those long---but not too long trips where the train would be a choice. BTW---have you checked AmTrac prices lately? They are not especially cheap. The subways in the big cities are partly funded by many of the cities to make them affordable. Considering all of these things, it has been determined that there is not a market for this type stuff in the USA.

Not my thoughts........................just what I have read through the years. Others may have read similar or different things.

[stroguy]

Considering what we do for the world as a sentinel our budget is pretty good. The land mass we cover compared to Japan.......extemely different. Japan appears to be overspending for what they do in my eyes. And America is a car country. Build the rail but what do you do when nobody comes to ride?