MagLev did pan out though, just not in Britain. For example, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train
We pushed cars, freeways, etc. Not just in the US. Other countries followed along for their own reasons.
It's like nuclear; the tech can work fine. We just don't have the interest.
I blame lobbying against public utilities, personally. Decades of pro-privatization rhetoric, getting people to buy-in on their own vehicle, versus pub-trans.