<P> In the early 1800s, there were other similar systems proposed or experimented with and were generally known as an Atmospheric railway although this term is also used for systems where the propulsion is provided by a separate pneumatic tube to the train tunnel itself . </P> <P> One of the earliest was the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway which operated near Dublin between 1844 and 1854 . </P> <P> The Crystal Palace pneumatic railway operated in London around 1864 and used large fans, some 22 ft (6.7 m) in diameter, that were powered by a steam engine . The tunnels are now lost but the line operated successfully for over a year . </P> <P> Operated from 1870 to 1873, the Beach Pneumatic Transit was a one - block - long prototype of an underground tube transport public transit system in New York City . The system worked at near - atmospheric pressure, and the passenger car moved by means of higher - pressure air applied to the back of the car while somewhat lower pressure was maintained on the front of the car . </P>

New york to los angeles high speed rail