Can High-Speed Rail Stay On Track in the United States?

President Barack Obama last year outlined an ambitious initiative to get high-speed rail on track in the United States. But while the government's high-speed rail initiative looked good on paper, it runs the risk of being derailed by high costs and political opposition. "Railroads were always the pride of America, and stitched us together. Now Japan, China, all of Europe have high-speed rail systems that put ours to shame," Obama said last year announcing his plan. While most passenger trains in the United States travel at the maximum allowable speed of 79mph, trains in Europe and Asia typically travel in excess of 125mph. In France, for example, the Train Ga Grande Vitesse (TGV) travels at an average speed of 133 mph. Another French train actually reached 357.2mph in 2007, setting a new world record.