this record was set with no passengers, just engineering staff, and it might only last until the next set of speed tests. They won't operate with passengers at speeds over 313 mph, and that won't be until 2027.
Currently there is speculation and hopes that the USA will try and get a high speed rail system. Unfortunately for us who have hopes that we could jump on a train and get across country in a couple hours without the airlines... the federal transportation department is bankrupt and out of funding in a couple of weeks.
Denver to LA in 6 hours. San Diego to Seattle in 10. New York to LA in 20.
The USA already has many bridges and rail lines in bad need of repairs, it would be more cost efficient to replace entire lines than to repair them, in the long term. Imagine if the USA replaced its transportation infrastructure instead of wasting hundreds of billions waging war in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, etc.
Chicago is crying out for federal funds, http://dailynorthwestern.com/2015/04/12/city/transit-representatives-state-politicians-request-federal-transportation-funding/ and is the 2nd largest metro rail operation, behind New York. Their current funding ends next month, and their highway trsut fund is empty.
the Regional Transportation Authority has a project from Chicago to Wisconsin, that is only 25% complete, but out of funds already. Its capital projects, which include rehabilitating stations and expanding transportation lines, replacing ailing bridges along the Union Pacific North Line needs more money to finish a railroad that runs from Chicago to Wisconsin.
http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/17/japanese-maglev-train-breaks-its-own-world-speed-record/
The federal government’s transportation funding measure is scheduled to expire on May 31. Lawmakers in both parties have been struggling to come up with a way to pay for an extension.
The gas tax has been traditional source of transportation funding since its inception in the 1930s. The tax has not been increased since 1993, however, and its buying power has been sapped by improvements in car fuel efficiency in recent years.
Keep in mind, electric cars use the roads, but won't contribute to paying for road repairs becasue they pay no gas tax. Small problem? Maybe.
The federal government typically spends about $50 billion per year on transportation projects, but the gas tax only brings in $34 billion annually at its current rate.
http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/239095-bill-filed-to-index-gas-tax-to-inflation
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