“Our highways are clogged with traffic, are costing us $80 billion a year in lost productivity and wasted fuel. Our airports are choked with increased loads…What we need, then, is a smart transportation system equal to the needs of the 21st Century, a system that reduces travel times and increases mobility. A system that reduces congestion and boosts productivity. A system that reduces destructive emissions and creates jobs.”

These high-minded words came from President Obama last April. Bemoaning the state of American infrastructure, he promised a new way to travel – high-speed rail. No more waiting in traffic, he said. He even promised that you won’t have to take off your shoes before boarding the train.