11 Incredibly Fast Trains That Leave America In The Dust Re

[uk_vette]

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-10-fastest-trai...


Top train, as we all expect, is Chinese.
Here they state it is the CRH380.
So this must be a little out of date, as the new train now is the CRH500


While the CRH380A had electric drives of just 12,800kW, The original 8-car train-set recorded a top speed of 416.6 km/h.
Designed to operate at a cruise speed of 350 km/h and a maximum of 380 km/h

The CRH500 has drives of 22,800 kW rated power which is a marked improvement of 10,000 kW.
There is an expected top speed of 550km/h with a standard 8-car train-set, and a cruise speed of 500 km/h

vette

[Simpo Two]

Mmm. But Concorde was really really fast and look where that ended up.

[SlipStream77]

A TGV managed 356mph back in 2007 during a test run.

They needed a private jet as a camera vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ir_n3J5ABA

[uk_vette]

SlipStream77 said:

A TGV managed 356mph back in 2007 during a test run.

They needed a private jet as a camera vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ir_n3J5ABA

.
That old chestnut,,,,,,.

And was it a standard train?
Was it running 7 days a week?
Was it carrying fare paying passengers?


NO
NO
NO

So it doesn't count, sorry.

vette

[dudleybloke]

yea but we've got trams with lights on in blackpool.

[Skodaku]

uk_vette said:

.
That old chestnut,,,,,,.

And was it a standard train?
Was it running 7 days a week?
Was it carrying fare paying passengers?


NO
NO
NO

So it doesn't count, sorry.

vette

Same questions for Mallard's famous run ?

[gixxer]

In America-- trains are for freight.
If people want to get somewhere slow and see the scenery, we drive a car
Want to get somewhere fast, we take an airplane.
Trains were ditched wholesale by travelers back in the late 50s early 60s when the interstate highway system was built.
The decision has been made by the people, but "social engineers" keep picking away.
I hear California's choo choo train will have a 80 MPH speed limit, as an upgraded bed is too expensive.
California is insovent, so the train may never go into operation anyway.
But those social engineers....
(Bring back steam locomotives tho' I'd take a ride.)

[tontoro]

No.3, the N700, does not run at 275mph in normal service

[RDMcG]

I spent many years in the Railroad business. As was previously mentioned,US railroads are basically set up for the long,heavy freight trains and the roadbed and rail is designed for this. There are many level crossings.
The type of rail design for high speed is continuous steel rail,banked curves and no crossings. Crossings are either over or under the track.
The low density of population in North America makes it a fantasy that there will ever be dedicated roadbad. If you travel on the Shinkansen for example you can feel the extreme banking. No freight train could travel on it.