Jet propelled hovertrains – which could travel more than 300mph – were looking to take the world by storm in the 1970s.

Like hovercrafts, the trains would float on a cushion of air and glide over obstacles meaning they could be utilise by powerful engine systems.

The US and Soviet Union both invested heavily in the futuristic tech, however the plan never took off – and we still use locomotives similar to those from the 1800s.

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Pueblo Railway Museum in Colorado houses three experimental "rocket cars" which were developed by the US, the Sun reports.

Each of these sleek, futuristic vehicles was a test model constructed to hurtle along at hundreds of miles an hour and completely change the world's rail network.

Three prototypes – known as the LIMRV, TACRV, and TLRV – were spearheading the dream of a new super-fast rail network across the US.

LIMRV – known as ‘The Garrett’ – was equipped with 3,000hp engines and impressive thrust boosters, helping it achieve a world speed record of 255.7mph while being tested in 1974.

TLRV – known as ‘The Grumman’ – had three massive turbofan engines on the top of the vehicle and designed to hit 300mph, but sadly the prototype missed the mark.

The final vehicle is the TACV – ‘The Rohr’ – with wheels and straddling an inverted T shaped rail, which would guide it along as it flew on its air cushion.

The vehicle had a fully furnished car designed to carry 60 passengers, and could hit speeds of 145mph during experimental runs.

Now all three sit outside the Pueblo Railway Museum as relics of a sci-fi future that never arrived.

The museum has plans to put the three prototypes together in a special display area in 2023, to help teach future generations about their history.

Dave Dandurand, from the museum, said that it is "complicated" as to why the project failed.

He said: "This effort probed the limits of our technical capability, and so some of the solutions ended up being less than practical.

"Politics and the forces seeking to preserve the status quo (airplanes and existing railroads) ended funding for the projects.”

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