Believe it or not.....the Japanese were already developing the Bullet Train in the 1950's - Speed Tests were as far back as 1948. The 'Shinkansen' Technology was there in the 1930's. Yes - BEFORE World War II!
Bullet Train service began in 1964. General Motors built the AeroTrain in 1955. It did it's last commuter run in 1966 after about 10 years of service on the Rock Island Railroad. The Engineers and Designers of the AeroTrain gave up too quickly.
"Ambitious Japan!" would come about 30 years later.
We saw the Acela Express come online in 2000. 2009.....the Acela Express STILL operates between Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, DC.
When you think about it, in "Wheels Of Steel" you would think the Acela Express would be operating across the USA today....like the Bullet Train does across Japan and the TGV does across France (the TGV is expanding).
Welcome to America.