Maglev funding from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

[WMAveteran]

The January 2009 issue of TRAINS  magazine reported that the FRA "is accepting applications for $45 million in grants for proposed magnetic levitation projects in or between: Pittsburgh, Pa., Baltimore-Washington, and Atlanta-Chattanooga, Tenn.  The FRA may award one of more grants for planning or infrastructure." 
I ask why is it taking so long?  The Chinese have been running  successful maglev trains in revenue service between Shanghai and the Shanghai airport for a couple of years now at speeds over 300mph.  Why don't we just buy the Chinese models and say "all aboard"?

[Tristan]

My word, you know we can't learn from other countries!  It's unAmerican!

[WayneNYC]

Yup - Although the technology is up and runing, the agencies here will "study" Maglev and basically try to reinvent the wheel.