High-speed rail has come to America. Or has it?

America’s fastest train has arrived. ‘NextGen Acela’ made its public debut on August 27, delivering modern design, more seats and an enhanced passenger experience. Hailed as a leap forward for high-speed rail in America, it is, in truth, more of a half-step.

The new trains — siblings to France’s iconic TGVs — can reach 160 miles per hour. But on American tracks that’s rarely possible. For now, passengers will only experience a few short bursts at top speed, which is still far short of what is standard in Europe and Asia.

Still, the new trains are expected to be a welcome improvement for travelers on the busy Northeast Corridor, even if the broader prospects for high-speed rail in the United States remain dim.

Decades of underinvestment have left the country with congested highways, cr