While strolling through the incredible Air and Space Museum with my grandkids—absolutely loving it, by the way—I was struck by just how impressive it is. Free, innovative, and deeply educational.

I wandered into an exhibit on speed—fast cars, motorbikes, and the broader story of how quickly humans have learned to move. And really, the entire museum celebrates speed: moon travel, space shuttles, supersonic jets, and extraordinary military aircraft.

Which led me to a simple (perhaps slightly cheeky) question…

Why did the U.S. forget about speed when it comes to trains?

We’ve done remarkably well with cars and aviation. But trains? They lag so far behind Europe, Japan, and China that it feels almost surreal.

I understand the massive investment in the interstate highway system—but still. Why does it take nearly 10 hours to travel from Boston to D.C.? In Japan, that journey would take around three hours. Europe? The same.

The moon missions and shuttle programs are incredible—truly. But day-to-day, it would be far more useful if our trains moved a bit faster.

And one last thing… maybe it’s time to stop calling it the Acela. It’s not exactly accelerating.