Item from ITV News -- "Deutsche Bahn's 200mph ICE train is unveiled at St Pancras International ahead of Channel Tunnel service to Frankfurt." See the video.
That German rail company plans to have a high-speed train running from Germany to England by 2013. The train is to carry passengers through the Channel Tunnel to Belgium, and to other destinations.
We, in America, don't have a high-speed train running from Washington to New York -- Not a truly high speed train, running from anywhere to anywhere.
The Germans, the Europeans, are moving ahead, and Uncle Sam is sitting on his fanny, while America is lagging behind in the field of public inter-city and regional transportation.
Buses just don't do it, and they're slow, and carbon deficient. The passengers rail system that we have is not doing the job.
Rail requires a greater initial investment than air travel. Miles of track to support high speed trains have to be laid, but in the long run, rail travel is cheaper, and more environmentally friendly
If the USA is going to be the big boy on the block, during the 21st century, Uncle Sam has to get off his fanny.