A fantastic achievement by the French but I must admit that I would prefer to rtravel at a lower, more comfortable speed such as the Orient Express

Graham, Canberley, UK

Samantha has got everything wrong. First of all the speed was 574kph, not 514. To speak of colonialist oppression etc when some SNCF employees work a 29-hour week and receive bonuses for providing coal and setting fire to it on a modern high-speed train is completely outdated. Do people realise that some French railway workers benefit from a "prime de non-prime" i.e. a bonus for not having a bonus?
I am delighted with the achievements of French engineers(who have put the British to shame -though there have been some improvement over recent years), and the reliability of French public transport in general. But to say that they are victims of a colonialist and capitalist system is totally erroneous.

M. Brookes, Versailles, France

Allez les Bleu!
Makes one proud being European.
Albeit it's a downer to see the insistant British use of "miles".
Get metric - and in line with the rest of Europe.
Miles, pint, pound, ounce, stone....really are Middle Age and contradict unification - and certainly logic.
The US lost a 1 bill. Euro priced Mars explorer due to botched caculations of miles and kilometers.

Gerald B., Aarhus, Denmark

Here in Spain, the Spanish Government already implemented these trains in 1992 with the construction of the Madrid-Seville AVE line (500 kms in 2h15m with 4 city stops on the track, and shortening each year). Nowadays, the construction of the Barcelona- Madrid line is almost finished (will be already functioning in sept'2007) and a new line is about to start working from Seville to Malaga as well. I cannot describe how positive for business that line to Seville is. You can have breakfast in Madrid at 9, attend a meeting in Seville, have your meal there, and be back at home at about 5 o'clock. And the best thing: the network is increasing in size every year. No casualties so far in 15 years.

I have "enjoyed" travelling several times from London Stansted to Derby-Leicester, and the quality of the lines/trains is depressing. The schedule is even worse, and the railworks frightening.

It's time to put up with progression EU-mates. I hope that you take example from our French neighbours!

Guillermo, Sevilla, Spain

There was an interesting comment from Seimens today. They said that this was simply a one-off stunt, because after a run like this the engine would have to be overhauled and the overhead power lines would have to be replaced. It would also consume four times the electricity of a normal run. Siemens called this "frivolous". You can read the full statement in today's Spiegel.

What this would have to do with getting millions of commuters to and from London each morning is beyond me, but I suppose we can't deny the French their fun as they slip down the economic tables.

jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/US

What a brilliant achievement by France - they fully deserve the world's admiration. This record-breaking journey may have been expensive, but it's so cheering to see that the French value technical excellence far above the bottom line. It's also impressive to see how they have refined the 25-year-old TGV technology, taking it to ever greater heights.

Now why couldn't they have done that with Concorde?

K John, London, UK

As an American living in the Champagne region, I am pleased to see this. The French rail system is impeccable and marvelous. Train travel in the US is practically non-existent. To me, US rail travel is unsafe and an accident waiting to happen. We won't even begin to go into the UK rail system. Though honestly I havent been on it, so I will not speak. However, in Europe one can travel to neighboring countries in a matter of hours in utter comfort. I actually look forward to travelling on French trains. The route from Paris to Holland is absolute luxury. Its just glorious to have a safe, clean train system. I live out in the countryside, but via train can be in Paris center in under 3 hours!! insane. The French take pride in their work and it shows. Hats off.

david, Champagne, France

Congratulations France!
Nevermind the jealousy of those impoverished Anglos who're stuck in the 20th century and cant get out.
Perhaps your engineers would be so kind as to pay a visit to Canada, wher e our "engineers" spend their days designing wider highways and speed bumps to slow down the clowns in their SUVs.
Vive La France!

Glenn Murtz, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Bravo France! President Eisenhower marvelled at Germany's Autobahn - replicating it (to an inferior degree) in the USA. Too bad he didn't return to witness its symbiotic relationship with Eurorail. Had he done so - he might've realised Standard Oil, GM ('Motors' - not 'modification') and Firestone's efforts (to convince urban planners to scrap an extensive network of public rail - favoring millions of autos) had more to do with SELF than NATIONAL interest.
However, as alluded to therein: TGV took extraordinary measures - unneeded for Maglev - and still experienced issues which might do-in lines not so well looked after. The Shinkansen line requires continuous upkeep and we all remember the Eschede train crash.
It's well past time for an EU system of 'self/auto-drive' track vehicles - of the design which can be self-piloted on roads and 'automated-piloted' on tracks. We see primative verions in airports but MUCH higher speeds are needed for continental travel. Who will be 1st?

Larry Pines, Middletown, USA/NY

I think that the French have really achieved something and are to be commended. It's far too fashionable to make cheap shots at the French these days, but the facts are:
- the French nuclear power industry has run smoothly and on the whole without incident, something that many other nations envy with justification. If the USA had the same percentage of its power grid powered by nuclear energy, we would be further along on our way to energy independence than we are now;
- having ridden AMTRAK (the quasi-governmental passenger railway of the United States) from Chicago to Denver, I can say that there were parts of that run through the prairie country where traveling over 60 miles an hour felt as dangerous (or more so) than Mr. Webster's 350+ mile an hour glide through the Champagne in the TGV.

The French have absolutely no reason to be laughed at - they've done very, very well indeed.

Vance P. Frickey, Denver, Colorado, USA

Dave in Monterey: note that France is the same size as Texas. Also, I'm not saying this is your attitude, but a lot of Americans seem to have an elitist attitude toward public transit - they think it's a form of welfare for minorities, illegal aliens etc. and that's why they oppose it. I see this especially in western US cities which were built around the car, but which are now choking to death on traffic and belatedly building light rail systems to ease the pressure. These systems invariably are much more successful than the right-wing naysayers predict, but the snobbish attitude continues.

Ray Dobson, Middletown, NJ

Pascal Masi, where did you get the feeling that he wasn't giving the French the credit they deserved? I was surprised at how much he handed out.
The problem, it seems, is that the British can't kiss your butts enough.
Look everybody... the French have actually done something significant.
There, happy?

Tom, Indiana, US

Hooray for the French, who also owned claim to the fastest airliner in the world (cost notwithstanding). Meanwhile, the Americans diddle with the best way to tabulate votes for "American Idol".

Shawn , Pittsburgh, USA

Moving large numbers of people safely and conveniently along the ground at these speeds could do wonders for busy corridors like New York/ DC and San Francisco/LA/San Diego. We Californian's must really only decide if Maglev is the better option. The cost of building is higher but the safety and efficiency is higher.
Our Governor is committed to this and we have a subsidized private model.
I think the ground based model of the French is moving to obsolescence.
Non the less Bravo!

Richard Foulkes MD, Thousand Oaks, California

Robert H Goddard, a famous American "rocket scientist" (even honored with a postage stamp) considered other high speed ground transportation means than high speed trains, mainly pneumatic tube systems as demonstrated by his US patents, 2,511,979, and 2,488,287 which are referenced in many later system developments, e.g. 4,202,272. If we are reaching the margins of speed for train systems, perhaps other "visions" ought to be considered, where things as common as ,autumn leaves on the track wouldn't present such catastrophic potential.

And no seatbelts for travel at such high speed, see the 287 patent for Goddard's insight.

Henry E. Nass, New York City, USA

The article in today's newspaper claims there have been no accidents on the T.G.V. Speaking from memory I seem to recall that on one occasion some years ago a T.G.V. failed to stop at the Gare de Lyons until it hit the buffers. I think also that soon after the T.G.V. to Marseille was introduced one was derailed.
I should add, I once read an article in Le Figaro in which the writer - a Frenchman- claimed there had actually been more fatalities in the previous decade on the French Rail Network than in Britain, but that it was official policy not to report them.

Bruce Anderton, Eastbourne, England

I have a dream that one day I will have breakfast in New York City and dinner in LA that evening, having zipped across the country in a TGV. I also dream that every state capital (except Honolulu) and each city with more than 100,000 residents enjoys daily train service. What can I do to see this dream become reality? Congradulations to the French.

Bill Limbacher, Cincinnati, OH, USA

In answer to JStans, Asheville's, question "How much energy ar these fast trains using?" that is the beauty of SNCF fast trains. The energy comes, in large part, from the French nuclear power plants and therefore has a minimal carbon footprint.

Unfortunately, as described in the original article, the train does become briefly airborne from time to time but I am sure the duration of these brief flights can be calculated, the Global Warming Tax for Flying based only on those short periods when it is not in contact with the rails, and the Carbon Tax on Commercial Flight will therefore be quite modest for those choosing rail, rather than air travel.

Drew Sullivan, San Jose, California

To the 'nay sayers' such as E Reeves and J Stans,1st 500 to 1000 km is faster than travelling out to the airport,2hours waiting around etc;2nd energy consumption is dealt with by SNCF, log into their booking line and they will give you a comparison all three;3rd this was but a PR exercise,nothing else,4th Last September my wife and I took a TGV from Paris to Aix en Provence for 175€ (for the 2 of us return),less then the cost of the petrol needed, never mind the tolls; some 1500 kms,round trip wish that we could get that in the UK!

John Ogden, Paris, France

I am surprised by the general tone of your article. It only brings to the fore the negative sides of this world record. Why is that? Can't a British reporter rejoice at a world record that will serve millions of citizens over the coming years?
What is the big trouble with admitting that this was an engineering prowess?
As is often the case in the British Press, the tone is pontificating with things European or should I say Continental?
Regards

Pascal Masi, Gif sur Yvette, France

It's around 490 miles from Union Station in Toronto to Penn Station in New York City. The Virgin Pendolino could do it in around five hours, the new TGV, a little over an hour at full haul. In September it took Amtrak's knackered diesels 15 hours to get me there. Kudos to the French, in these days ruled by Health and Safety it's great to see new frontiers being broken by this impressive display of engineering achievement.

Scott Millson, Toronto, Canada

I haven’t seen anything French move that fast since their surrender to Germany!

Victor , Lakeport, USA MICHIGAN

Gabriel from Malta, aren't you aware that electricity does NOT emit CO2 when it is nuclear electricity ?

So, please be careful when talking about alleged superiority ...

Yvan, Paris, France

We had our chance - the UK scrapped its own mag-lev test track (or similar) back in the 70s.

Phil, Preston,

At least it shows that europe can still compete with Asian and American countries on High Tech!
All european should be happy about that as i'm sure the TGV may end up in other european countries one day or another or at least help one abroad like it has already been done in the past.

Romain, Brighton, UK

and to think we invented the railways.

Justin, London,

Bravo to France for a remarkable accomplishment! If only the american public could get over their delusions of superiority in all ventures! Travel by air in the U.S. is increasingly nightmarish and we foolishly drive behemoth automobiles to bolster our evident need of "status". To the naysayers I say take those enormous bugs out of your asses and give the french the kudos they deserve.

Kenneth J. Ward, Rollinsford, NH USA

Is there anybody here who has already used the TGV ?

It's a fantastic and better way to move from the centre of a city to the centre of another one. An example : Lyon to Paris (512km - 2hours)

There is no comparison with the plane : Ticket price, comfort, traffic congestion in the airports, in the sky, safe.

A faw years ago, a TGV left the rails at 300km/h : no victim and the train was not destroyed. It was just necessary to put it on the rails again !...

Henri JACQUES, Lyon, France

Good grief, I can see it now, The Times October 1829: They show no trace of fear as we hurtle along at a disturbing 29 mph in this new steam carriage.

I congratulate the French for not being afraid of progress, and I pity this country for being full of luddites.

Andy, Milton Keynes, UK

Look on the bright side; in America, you're more likely to die on an Amtrak ride than a NASCAR driver is during his career!

ZM, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

It's quite expensive but WOW !! 574 km/h...
However we (customers) will not travel as quickly like that (fortunately for us)...

N Julou, Orsay, France

Can anyone explain what is the need for a train that takes 10 miles to stop following application of its breaks?

For short journeys the high speed would not be used.

For long journeys high speed is already provided by the airways.

The World's fastest aircraft became obsolete years ago due to lack of passenger use at an unaffordable fare.

Being closely connected with such technology I understand the breaking of new ground can be exiting but the overview of such detrimental impact both enviromentally and financially on the World should not be a cause for celebration.

E. Reeves, POOLE, UK

This is all very impressive, and congratulations to the French, but we Brits can take pride in the fact that from the 6th April, Network Rail will allow a scheduled service of steam trains to operate on their tracks between Grosmont and Whitby in North Yorkshire, for the first time in 40 years. Now that really is progress.

And the steam trains make a profit !

Check out the link : http://nymr.co.uk/news/whitby-steam-services-now-running

Chris Long, Thirsk, North Yorkshire

I'm not sure I understand the sense of a train traveling so fast for a short distance. one of the trains reaches 311mph for a 19 mile journey. How much of that journey is used for slowing down? How much energy are these fast trains using to reach such high speeds? What makes some speed trains safer than others? Is there less polution using a rail train than air travel? None of these questions were answered in the article.

JStans, Asheville,

Its so stupid to hear the Americans begging for trains like this. for what purpose? we already have nice trains. But if you choose not to spend the money on them you will get stuck in an econo box. The same is true for Europe. not all the trains are well ventilated and up to date. I know because I’m from Ny and presently live in Switzerland.

to the person who is comparing the Chicago trains to this one come on. That’s like comparing the NY subway to an Amtrak train. You really can ‘t. for starter America’s affordable commuter trains are designed for people of all mentalities. Some people are rather barbaric in there thinking & like to destroy whatever they can. That’s why there is nothing on the trains you can pick up and carry away & the seats are made of materials that cannot be torn to shreds. But still some manage to destroy what they see.

Mr X, Zürich, Switzerland

This just shows what can be done, if politicians and managers are kept at arms length and the engineers are allowed to get on with it. Well done to everybody concerned, you have earned your salaries this year.
It just shows how pathetic Britian has become. Every school child in Britian should be shown the film of this great achievement. Remember, it is also 70 years since the Mallard.

laurence j stewart, edinburgh, Scotland

"wonder what the trackside villagers think of the noise?"

The noise will be a very short "woosh".

I used to live near the points near a large railway station, now THAT is noise.

Anyway, well done, France.

Starling, Lancaster,

Well done the French, you put us to shame. I would like to think that Britain will be imspired into creating a better Rail service by seeing how well countries like France operate theirs but unforunately the pessimistic side of me knows that we will never see this sort of investment in our rail service. Trains are overpriced, late and cancelled on far too many occasions. The tracks are in desperate need of replacement, and of course we have the old "oh, but there are leaves on the track" excuse every Autumn as a reason to cancel commuter trains. What do you expect to happen in Autumn?? Deal with it! Meanwhile I'll keep driving my car to work... it's cheaper, faster and more reliable!

Bob, Bristol,

Well done for France!

Sadly it will never happen in Britain. The British have proved, by doing exactly the opposite, that a good public transport system needs to be government funded with a long term vision to guide.

The short term ultra capitalist profit making British vision, that is very close to piracy, does not work.

Juvituvi, London,

Well done indeed.

People forget that the TGV has been around for 25 years, and when France embarked on this "grand projet" there were plenty of doubters. The fact is that riding the TGV is a real pleasure and very efficient. The trains are clean, very comfortable, remarkably quiet and leave and arrive on time! The tickets are moderately priced, and you can go from Paris to Marseilles - a journey of 1000 km - in just over 4 hours. The network is so successful that it is expanding into several other countries - including UK via the Eurostar.

A great vision has become a reality, and with the current focus on fuel efficiency it's time has come. The speed record is just France's way of celebrating this piece of Gallic excellence.

Andrew Wilson, Paris,

Actually the French do something with their train system (and the Germans and Swiss etc) that we don't - they subsidise it. On a purely financial analysis we have one of the most efficient railway systems in the world. This is because we decided that in public transport profits come above all other considerations (it was Americans who got most of the tube going after all). We are always confused about what "public" and "private" mean in this country.

There is a headline going round saying 2.4 billion pounds will go towards lengthening tracks and providing new carriages for London. No it won't. About 1.1billion will go toward that project (if that much) and the rest will go toward paying profits / dividends to private companies who "provide a service based on competitive principles which ensure supply is matched with demand". We will never have systems which provide excess capacity because, for business, this means wasted profits. We get far less than we pay for as a result.

Paul Townsend, London, England

The view from the French faces "priceless pride", the ones on the british being prepared for the cattle trip to the office every morning or on supercharged holiday departures (easter escapade looming large)...another priceless one, resolute and dejected, resigned to a sordid game played by those milking them of their energy and hard-earned money. It's about time money is worth something in this country, now look at the pathetic headlines: NetworkRails plans so and so billions £££ ''more" to bring us carriages with less..seats to accomodate standing passengers some paying £3000 a year...
I know where my pride would be standing if I was leaving in a country like France, celebrating hi-tech and good value for money. Well done to those hard thinking individual with a conquering vision.

Fwank, London, England

OH MY GOSH! To most of you here, why does it need to be a competition? What a bunch of bigoted meanies! I think the French pride is more than justified, especially as that pride obviously runs right through the rail system. That same pride will have helped lead to the zero fatalities in 26 years of running, surely if only for that important reason, you can't begrudge them their success because they are French?!!! Well done, France.

A C, Cannington, Somerset

Congratulations to the French!!!!
Europe is still acentre of innovation and development and not a "dying dinosaur". I am happy that it is my neighbours that have done it, although as a Brit living in Italy, it would have been even more gratifying if one of those countries had done it!
Brtain is now sliding down the heap of developed countries designing new ways of carrying people quickly and efficiently. Even the regualr service in Briatin is riddled with small problems.
What is more humiliating is that Britain has refused to adopt quicker train services and adjust archaic speed limits on the tracks! I don't accept the reasoning of potential deaths of people who are crossing the tracks; the workmen have strict rules about when and how they work and anyone else, shouldn't be on the tracks!!
So, come on Britain! Have you forgotten Brunnel, Stevenson and Trescothick- the forefathers of the railways, who were British! It's time to move with the advance of time.

tim, Naples, Italy

"Trackside villages"? There aren't any. The high-speed sections of the TGV track are laid well away from settled areas, for safety (and noise!) considerations. Any land acquired for the new purpose-built track was purchased at such positive prices (often well above market level) that people often practically lined up to sell the necessary property to SNCF: "compulsory purchase" as routinely and badly practiced in the UK was almost never used. ...And the train doesn't run at its maximum speeds near towns or stations.

In short: this wasn't a conversion of an existing right-of-way (as most UK rail projects are, with all the commensurate problems -- like pre-existing villages) but a clean new build meant to tie into the now-building Continent-wide high speed network. Looking forward to riding along it to Strasbourg in June.

Diane Duane, County Wicklow, Ireland

The energy lines were providing 19.7MW...seems like an awful alot of electricity (and CO2 emission) just for a publicity stunt...yet another item to be added to the French CV of self-glorification. Need they have added even more CO2 to the atmosphere to remind us of their superiority?

Gabriel, Balzan, Malta

Why shouldn't engineering celebrate its achievements just because 'they are there'?
Remember that the APT did London to Glasgow in 4 hours 10 mins back in the 1970's so a Pendolino one off 3 hour 55 is not so good on improved tracks (and I believe the timetable is 4 hours 35mins!

Mike Hinds, Bath, UK

As a French who live in Strasbourg, let me remind you of something: Alsace-Lorraine was at the origin of many wars between France and Germany. That high speed train line wich doesn't pollute at all if you compare it to a plane, is a link between our two contries (just like the eurostar). I personally prefer that kind of trains to those that nazis used during the second world war. I also want to say that TGV is very safe, comfortable, and clean. Some people make the choice to use diesel engines cars, diesel engines trucks and plane to travel instead of electrical power...Well, I guess that they have their own reasons, and I'd like them to explain it. Finally, I'm proud of what my country did, I'm proud to be european and to build links such as railways between our countries (UK, France, Italy soon, Germany, and Spain.

Laurent Joug, STRASBOURG, France

To R. Caruso - Roma.
France is not so far away from Italy. Come and have a trip on TGV ( 1.2 billions passengers in 26 years without only 1 people dead), It may helps you to change your ideas.

I travel a lot by train in Italy, it was funny because i was on hollidays. But ...nothing works in Italy...
Jealous guy !!!

didier, aix, france

The reason American passengers trains fare so poorly in competition against others, lays strictly on the shoulders of the companies that operate them. I was last on a train which was part of Chicago's Metra system about 6 years ago. It was filthy inside and out. A yellowish coating of who knows what on the walls, plus blobs of hardened stuff on the walls as well. Windows so dirty one could hardly see out of them, and slowing down greatly at certain areas where the tracks were in far too bad shape for any but a super slow speed. Ventilation and temperature controls are poor and some refer to them as nothing but petri dishes. No investment you see? I won't ever ride one again.

Robert Lehmann, Chicago area, Illinois, USA

Hilarious to think the US of A would ask the French for Old Train Technology. Though we are unlikely to use trains for more than short distances we would be far more likely to use Mag-Lev. Arrogant to think the US would pay to use this outdated method of moving railcars.

Peter Evans, Los Angelos, California

This is a pure demonstration of French prestige - 'we can do it, and we will.' They do what they want (because they *know* they can) and the hell with the rest of the world. Sometimes this leads to exasperation, misunderstandings, and astonishing arrogance, but I love France and the French all the same.
So there.

Mat, Strasbourg, France

What a terrific article. Well written and uncluttered by enviro-babble. Well done you damn Frenchies. If only we could get our own rail system to work this well: London to York in an hour would make all other forms of transport ridiculous.

David Hoggard, York,

I have to say I get a strong sense of colonial oppression every time I use the Central Line. Takes my mind off the trains being late or too damn hot though.

Jonathan, Wadhurst, Sussex

Sam from Croydon - you forgot to add that as well as the glorification of imperalism and slavery, this whole exercise was a complete waste of power generation. Think of the environment! I say, let's stay at home, think about the sheer irresponsibility of all of this, and knit a raffia peace basket together by candelight.

Alex Johnson, London,

Dear Sir,

You have made a significant error in your 'fast track' facts, "The fastest rail journey in Britain" was not a Virgin Pendolino train, but was set by the Eurostar on 30 July.2003. It reached a speed of 208 mph on CTRL Section 1 in Kent.

Do get your facts correct before proclaiming them.

Christof Smith, London, United Kingdom

Even better if you think it was a near carbon neutral record!!

Christophe F, Reading, UK

I find it interesting that P Beck has so much to say on the malevolence of ordinary Americans in regards to public transportation---ignorance, it seems, is a two-way "track".

Adam P, New York, NY

Pray to heaven it never happens here -- the thought of doing that sort of speed on anything maintained by Railtrack and its UK contractors is more than terrifying.

D Hackett, Bath,

Fair enough now the French will be able to retreat at a very high speed should germany ever come a'knocking.

But really i think its a massive feat of engineering and the franch designers should be proud of there achievments.

Jay Roach, wolverhampton, West Midlands UK

Where has graciousness gone? Could we not simply congratulate the French people for their achievement and have the courage to invite them to share their technology?
In UK there seems to be the belief that something is not worth having unless invented here. How naive!

Colin Macpherson, Gramat, France

Can someone explain to me what the "the incalculable evils of slavery and colonialist oppression on which those tracks were laid" comment is supposed to mean? In any case, bravo to La Belle France for a magnificent accomplishment.

Jay, New York, NY

Well done France! You should be very proud of yet another 1st. Pity the Brits don't have a similar attitude instead of always doing things on the cheap and without style!

Paul Savage, Lambourn, UK

P Beck, you need to get over your bitterness towards America! It will eat you alive. Move on. Congratulations to the French for a fine technical achievement. Push the limits! The economic viability is always a question, but I still say it's a nice milestone. (Hey P, not all Americans are "nay-sayers")

Curt, Seattle, USA

Samantha, build a bridge and get over it. There is a life on the other side just waiting for you!!

Matt, Lancaster, Lancs

The record had two main objectives: The train was loaded with sensors and cameras that will help design better trains. Think of it as a space shuttle, not essential in itself but beneficial to develop new technologies.

The other objective was commercial. A train that was first created 30 ago and can still break records is bound to attract new customers. All the publicity around this record is worth millions!

Jean-Christophe Hermier, London,

"...in test runs, this train had taken ten miles to stop after the brakes were fully applied at 514mph."

Wow! Pity they weren't going for the record that day.... :o)

Chris, Warrington, UK

To all the nay-sayers, especially from America: 1. Given all the news about death, destruction or perversion, it is refreshing to read an article with a positive tone, an accomplishment in technology that will foster interest in public transport, especially trains. Secondly, whether air transport is cheaper in Europe or in the U.S. is immaterial. Air travel, particularly in the U.S., is a nightmare, with all the post-9/11 hysteria. But even on a local level, Americans wouldn't know how to spell 'public transport'. When the metro was opened in L.A., it was called 'to hell and back' -going through the Watts district. In Orange County they are arguing forever over a 'center-line' (a tram for anyone else), but it was abandoned as 'impracticable'. I was present during the 'negotiation' for a MagLev between So. California and Las Vegas, a great idea! It never made it over local and funding fighting. Americans could learn a lot from this article, but as usual they won't.....

P Beck, London,

I wonder what the trackside villagers think of the noise?

John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, UK

Yeah I agree with Sam from Croydon..lets all go back to living in mud huts.........................

Nick, hertford, England

So the high speed tracks were laid on the "evils of slavery and colonial oppression"? Well, I suppose Strasbourg was part of Germany so as part of the whole issue of Alsace-Lorraine this train line could be seen as "colonial oppression". Funny how some people can bring this issue into a TGV rail line.
Frankly I say congratulations to the engineers who wrought this achievement and they and the French people deserve to feel a great deal of pride in this!

Eric Pritchard, Clevedon, UK

Rail travel is fine and dandy for France, a country the size of small state, as would a state-wide rail system, as some states already do. But when you take it to a national level, there's too much land to efficiently travel by rail without destroying a large portion of the natural habitats it passes through. I love the London Metro and would love to see a system as clean and efficient implemented in our cities, but I can't see that happening any time soon. Most people see mass transit as a nuisance since they "have a right to drive". So long as people have that self-motivated attitude, the mass transit system with never catch on. Myself? I walk everywhere. It keeps me more in touch with my community and it's healthy to boot.

Dave, Monterey, California

To wxyrty Air travel is not cheaper in US than in Europe. You did not yet hear of Easy Jet!

dghysh, hfdshshd, US

To travel at 514 km/h when so many in the world cannot afford even a simple rickshaw ride seems daft. And although the French and the Americans and their neocon supporters would like us to, we can never for a moment forget the incalculable evils of slavery and colonialist oppression on which those tracks were laid.

Samantha J. Fonan, Croydon, UK

The reason why the US doesn't have it, in my opinion, is because air travel is so much cheaper in the US. Also it doesn't make sense to have so many rails cutting through the forests and rivers, because they destory the beauty of nature.

wxyrty, New York, New York

WOW! I can only wish that I was on board. My "Tay-Jay-Vay" trips in the 1990's only whetted my appetite for higher-speed rail travel. Now, if we had enough sense to accept military assistance from le grand General Lafayette and the great Statue of Liberty, why can't the US of A acquire enough humility to ask the French to design and build a high-speed rail system for us?

Dvora, Indianapolis, USA

Maybe someday the United States will have "modern" transportation?

Charles, Morro Bay, California

£20 million to say that the TGV is the fastest?!

I hope it's worth it's price in publicity for the potential of exports to new territories.

Otherwise, I'm sure many things would and should said about those who actually financed the publicity stunt.

Danny, London,

Another inpractical triumph of French technology. It stands alongside the Concorde and the Maginot Line. Is there a word for "practical" in French?

R Caruso, Rome, Italy

re: this train had taken ten miles to stop after the brakes were fully applied at 514mph.

Shouldn't that be 514 km/h not mph?

David Hall, Washington, DC USA

What's the rush?

Max Power, Springfield, USA