Portal:High-speed rail
Portal maintenance status: (October 2018)
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Introduction
High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, new lines in excess of 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph) and existing lines in excess of 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph) are widely considered to be high-speed, with some extending the definition to include lower speeds in areas for which these speeds still represent significant improvements. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was widely known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design.
Many countries have developed high-speed rail to connect major cities, including Austria, Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uzbekistan. Only in Europe does HSR cross international borders. China has 22,000 kilometres (14,000 mi) of HSR as of end December 2016, accounting for two-thirds of the world's total.
Selected general articles
- With the highway construction programme in its final stages, the Croatian Parliament has passed a bill to build its first high-speed line, a new Botovo–Zagreb–Rijeka line, with an initial maximum planned speed of 250 km/h. Initially, however, the train will not exceed 200 km/h due to a signaling system which can only accommodate speeds up to 200 km/h. The cost of the new line is estimated at 9,244,200,000 kuna (approx. 1.6 bil USD). The project will include the modernisation of the current Botovo-Zagreb line and a construction of a completely new line between Zagreb and Rijeka.
Also, the Pan-European Corridor X, running from the Slovenian border, through Zagreb, to Serbian border is a likely future candidate for the high-speed extension to this line. It is the most modern Croatian track, already initially built for 160 km/h and fully electrified and connects most branch lines in Croatia, rapidly growing Croatian cities of Slavonski Brod and Vinkovci, and Pan-European Corridor Vc towards Osijek and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Read more... - AGV Pégase at Innotrans 2008
The AGV (acronym for French: Automotrice à grande vitesse) is a standard gauge, high-speed, electric multiple-unit train designed and built by Alstom.
Alstom offers the AGV in configurations from seven to fourteen carriages, seating 245 to 446 persons. The trains are constructed from units comprising three cars (each with one transformer and two traction electronics packages located underneath the cars) and single-car driver-trailers. The maximum commercial speed is 360 km/h (220 mph). Read more...
Maglev (derived from magnetic levitation) is a system of train transportation that uses two sets of magnets, one set to repel and push the train up off the track as in levitation (hence Maglev, Magnetic-levitation), then another set to move the 'floating train' ahead at great speed taking advantage of the lack of friction. Along certain "medium range" routes (usually 200–400 miles) Maglev can compete favorably with high speed rail and airplanes.
With Maglev technology, there are no moving parts. The train travels along a guideway of magnets which control the train's stability and speed. Maglev trains are therefore quieter and smoother than conventional trains, and have the potential for much higher speeds. Read more...
The SNCF TGV Sud-Est or TGV-PSE is a French high speed TGV train built by Alstom and operated by SNCF, the French national railway company. It is a semi-permanently coupled electric multiple unit and was built for operation between Paris and the south-east of France. Read more...- The Shanghai maglev train or Shanghai Transrapid (Chinese: 上海磁浮示范运营线) is a magnetic levitation train, or maglev line that operates in Shanghai. The line is the third commercially operated magnetic levitation line in history, after the British Birmingham Maglev and the German M-Bahn, and the first commercial high-speed maglev.
It is the fastest commercial high-speed electric train in the world.
The train line connects Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Longyang Road Station (in the outskirts of central Pudong), where passengers can interchange to the Shanghai Metro to continue their trip to the city center. The line is not part of the Shanghai Metro network, which operates its own service to Pudong Airport from central Shanghai and Longyang Road Station. It cost $1.2 billion to build. The line's balance of payments has been in huge deficit since its opening. Read more...
WSDOT SC-44 No. 1401 at King Street Station in Seattle
The Siemens Charger is a family of diesel-electric passenger locomotive designed and manufactured by Siemens Mobility for the North American market. There are two models: the SCB-40, which is designed for Brightline, and the SC-44. The first production SC-44 unit was unveiled on March 26, 2016. The first SC-44 unit went into Amtrak revenue service on August 24, 2017, followed by the SCB-40 which inaugurated Brightline service on January 13, 2018. Read more...
Z 21561 (TER Centre) in Orléans station
The Z-TER (Z 21500) is a French model of electric multiple unit regional passenger train, manufactured by Alstom and Bombardier Transportation, and operated by SNCF.
They are used on regional links, and can be coupled with another Z-TER. They are derived from the French diesel passenger regional train "X-TER" (X 72500), and is the first regional train to reach 200 km/h. Read more...- North–South express railway (Vietnamese: Đường sắt cao tốc Bắc-Nam) is a proposed high speed railway in Vietnam. The line would begin in Hanoi, crossing provinces and municipalities of Hanoi, Hà Tây, Hà Nam, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Khánh Hòa, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, and coming to an end in Ho Chi Minh City. The rail line would connect the two most developed areas in Vietnam which are Hanoi in the North's Red River Delta in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the South's Mekong River Delta. The total proposed length would be 1,570 kilometres (980 mi), compared with the 1,729-kilometre (1,074 mi) of the old railway line. The cost of the line is estimated at US$55.85 billion, to be funded by official development assistance from Japan and by the Vietnamese government itself. The project is planned to be implemented in three phases: Hanoi to Vinh city (285 km); Vinh City to Nha Trang (364 km); and Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City (896 km). Construction activities on the first phase are expected to commence in 2020 and the whole project is scheduled for completion in 2050. This project is part of the country's railway transport development strategy by 2020 with a vision to 2050. The project is also part of the Trans-Asian railway network. Read more...
The Buenos Aires–Rosario–Córdoba high-speed railway (in Spanish: Tren de Alta Velocidad de Argentina – TAVe) was a project designed to link the Argentine cities of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Córdoba through a 710 km (440 mi) high-speed rail network. The plan, announced by then-President Néstor Kirchner during a press conference at the Casa Rosada on 26 April 2006, would be the first in Argentina operating at up to 320 km/h (200 mph). The entire project was dismissed due to the financial crisis of 2007–08. Read more...
Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to 310 km/h (193 mph). Alta Velocidad Española translates to "Spanish High Speed", but the initials are also a play on the word ave, meaning "bird". As of August 2017, the Spanish AVE system is the longest HSR network in Europe with 3,240 km (2,010 mi) and the second longest in the world, after China's.
AVE trains run on a network of high-speed rail track owned and managed by ADIF (Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias), where other high-speed (Avant [es], Alvia) and mid-speed (Altaria) services also operate. The first line was opened in 1992, connecting the cities of Madrid, Córdoba and Seville. Unlike the rest of the Iberian broad gauge network, the AVE uses standard gauge. This permits direct connections to outside Spain through the link to the French network at the Perthus tunnel. AVE trains are operated by RENFE, but private companies may be allowed to operate trains in the future using other brands, in accordance with European Union legislation. Some TGV-derived trains used to run on the broad-gauge network at slower speeds, but these were branded separately as Euromed until new rolling stock was commissioned for these services. Read more...
Bombardier Zefiro is a family of high-speed passenger trains designed by Bombardier Transportation whose variants have top operating speeds of between 250 km/h (155 mph) and 380 km/h (236 mph).
The family consists of: the Zefiro 250, which has a top operating speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) and which is for the moment wholly manufactured in China; the Zefiro 300, which has a top operating speed of 300 km/h (186 mph); and the Zefiro 380, which has a top operating speed of 380 km/h (236 mph). Read more...
The Voyager series is a group of high-speed diesel-electric multiple-unit trains built in Belgium by Bombardier Transportation for service on the UK railway network. They are used on various intercity services throughout Great Britain, including the UK's longest direct rail service, which is a CrossCountry service from Aberdeen to Penzance which takes 13 hours and 23 minutes to complete. All Voyager DEMUs have a maximum speed of 125 mph (200 km/h). Read more...
WSDOT SC-44 No. 1401 at King Street Station in Seattle
The Siemens Charger is a family of diesel-electric passenger locomotive designed and manufactured by Siemens Mobility for the North American market. There are two models: the SCB-40, which is designed for Brightline, and the SC-44. The first production SC-44 unit was unveiled on March 26, 2016. The first SC-44 unit went into Amtrak revenue service on August 24, 2017, followed by the SCB-40 which inaugurated Brightline service on January 13, 2018. Read more...
The international definition of high-speed rail encompasses lines with a top speed of at least 250 km/h (155 mph) and existing lines with a top speed of around 200 km/h (124 mph). As of 2011, there are four "classic" main railway lines in Britain operating at up to 201 km/h (125 mph), plus 108 km (67 mi) of purpose-built high-speed line.
The first purpose-built high-speed rail line in Britain was the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the first section of which opened in 2003. That was re-branded "High Speed 1" in 2006. Read more...
TCDD HT65000 is a series of twelve high-speed electric multiple units built by the Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) of Spain for the Turkish State Railways (TCDD), The EMUs are used on the Turkish high-speed railway network and can reach a maximum commercial speed of 250 km/h. Read more...
Thalys (French: [talis]) is a French-Belgian high-speed train operator originally built around the LGV Nord high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. This track is shared with Eurostar trains that go from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam to London via Lille and the Channel Tunnel and with French domestic TGV trains. Thalys serves Amsterdam (via the HSL-Zuid, a service part of NS International) and Cologne as well. Its system is managed by Thalys International (SNCF (62%), NMBS/SNCB (28%), and Deutsche Bahn (10%)) and operated by THI Factory (SNCF (60%), NMBS/SNCB (40%)). Read more...
The Class 180 is a British diesel-hydraulic multiple-unit train built by Alstom at Washwood Heath in Birmingham between 2000 and 2001 for then-new express services operated by First Great Western (FGW). They are part of the Coradia 1000 family, along with the Class 175. For commercial purposes, the Class 180s were given the branding Adelante, a name devised by FirstGroup, which has continued to be used by Hull Trains. After recurring technical problems with the trains, FGW handed all the units back to Angel Trains (the leasing company) in March 2009. The units were subsequently assigned to other companies. However, in 2012, FGW announced that it would be refurbishing and relaunching five Class 180 units. From July 2012, these re-entered service on the Cotswold Line, running most services between London and Worcester in order to release Class 165 and Class 166 units for further use in the Thames Valley. Read more...
The 0 series (0系, Zero-kei) trains were the first Shinkansen trainsets built to run on Japan's new Tōkaidō Shinkansen high-speed line which opened in Japan in 1964. The last remaining trainsets were withdrawn in 2008. Read more...
The first French high-speed rail line opened in 1981, between Paris's and Lyon's suburbs. It was at that time the only high-speed rail line in Europe. As of July 2017, the French high-speed rail network comprises 2,647 km of Lignes à grande vitesse (LGV), and 670 km are under construction. Read more...- High-speed rail in Czech Republic is at planning stage only. Even though České Dráhy own and operate multiple rolling stock capable of speeds of 200 km/h (124 mph), other than Velim railway test circuit there is no infrastructure capable of speeds over 160 km/h (99 mph). Czech rolling stock manufacturer Škoda Transportation produces high-speed rolling stock on regular basis. Read more...
A hovertrain is a type of high-speed train that replaces conventional steel wheels with hovercraft lift pads, and the conventional railway bed with a paved road-like surface, known as the track or guideway. The concept aims to eliminate rolling resistance and allow very high performance, while also simplifying the infrastructure needed to lay new lines.
Hovertrains were seen as a relatively low-risk and low-cost way to develop high-speed inter-city train service, in an era when conventional rail seemed stuck to speeds around 140 mph (230 km/h) or less. By the late 1960s, major development efforts were underway in France, the UK and the USA. While they were being developed, British Rail was running an extensive study of the problems being seen at high speeds on conventional rails. This led to a series of new high-speed train designs in the 1970s, starting with their own APT. Although the hovertrains still had reduced infrastructure costs compared to the APT and similar designs like the TGV, in practice this was offset by their need for entirely new lines. Conventional wheeled trains could run at low speed on existing lines, greatly reducing capital expenditures in urban areas. Interest in hovertrains waned, and major development had ended by the mid-1970s. Read more...
Korea Train eXpress (KTX, 케이티엑스 Kei-ti-ek-seu) is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004.
From Seoul Station the KTX lines radiate with stops at Seoul Station, Yongsan Station towards Busan and Gwangju, and from Gangnam District's Suseo Station with intermediate stations in New Dongtan City and Seoul Subway Line 1's Jije Station in Pyeongtaek. A new line from Wonju to Gangneung was completed in December 2017 to serve the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Read more...
Talgo XXI is a project for a high speed diesel-powered train, that operates in push-pull with one or two power cars and Talgo VII intermediate cars. The North American version has four-axle power cars in compliance with United States FRA regulations. Only one train in compliance with European UIC standards has been built to date. Talgo reported that the Talgo XXI attained 256 km/h on the Olmedo-Medina del Campo high speed experimental line on 9 July 2002, which led to a claim for the world speed record for a diesel train. However, this claim was never proven. After the test runs the train was sold to the Spanish infrastructure authority ADIF as a measuring train for high speed lines.
Possible specs are:- Two MTU 12V 4000 R64 engines (two power cars configuration) or one MTU 12V 4000 R84 engine (one power car configuration), up to 1.800 rpm, high speed diesel, Euro IIIB compliant with diesel particulate filter and exhaust gas recirculation aftertreatment system
- 2x1.500 kW (3 MW) or 1x1.800 kW power ratings
- Voith hydraulic transmission
- Hydrodynamic and air braking
- Variable gauge
- 5 to 12 passenger coaches, depending on the setup
- Up to 400 seats
- Designed for a top speed of 220 km/h (135 mph)
- Power car with shared trailer axle
- The Shinkansen (Japanese: 新幹線, pronounced [ɕĩŋkã̠ɰ̃sẽ̞ɴ]), colloquially known in English as the bullet train, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. Initially, it was built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, in order to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. It is operated by five Japan Railways Group companies.
A lineup of JR East Shinkansen trains in October 2012
Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen (515.4 km, 320.3 mi) in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of 2,764.6 km (1,717.8 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph), 283.5 km (176.2 mi) of Mini-Shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services. The network presently links most major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, and Hakodate on northern island of Hokkaido, with an extension to Sapporo under construction and scheduled to commence in March 2031. The maximum operating speed is 320 km/h (200 mph) (on a 387.5 km section of the Tōhoku Shinkansen). Test runs have reached 443 km/h (275 mph) for conventional rail in 1996, and up to a world record 603 km/h (375 mph) for SCMaglev trains in April 2015. Read more...
The CRH2 Hexie (simplified Chinese: 和谐号; traditional Chinese: 和諧號; pinyin: Héxié Hào; literally: "Harmony") is one of the high-speed train models in China. Originally, the CRH2 was based on the E2-1000 Series Shinkansen design from Japan with the license purchased from a consortium formed of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and Hitachi, and represents the second Shinkansen train model to be exported.
In 2004, the Ministry of Railway in China purchased an initial 60 sets of the train from Kawasaki Heavy Industries with a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). However, the newer versions of the CRH2 are not related to the E2-1000 Series despite having the same exterior shell. Read more...- Avelia Horizon is a high speed passenger train manufactured by Alstom. It was developed in the late 2010s and is expected to enter service with French operator SNCF in TGV service in the 2020s. Read more...
IC4 unit MG 5615 departing from Copenhagen Central Station, October 7, 2009
The IC4 is an inter-city train built by the Italian train manufacturer AnsaldoBreda for the trans-Great Belt routes of Danske Statsbaner (DSB), Denmark's national railway operator. Under DSB's 'Good trains for everyone' plan ('Gode tog til alle'), the intent of the IC4 project was to replace several types of outdated rolling stock. However, various delays and shortcomings have turned the project into a major political issue.
The IC4 units were originally scheduled to enter DSB's Intercity service in 2003. On 25 June 2007, one IC4 unit (trainset no. 4) entered regional service between Aarhus and Aalborg. On 27 August 2007, another test train entered regional passenger service between Aarhus and Fredericia in eastern Jutland. Two further units entered regional service during the autumn of 2007. By the end of 2007, DSB and AnsaldoBreda were to agree when the IC4 would be ready for Intercity and IntercityLyn (express inter-city) services. This, however, required the approval of the Danish National Rail Authority. Read more...
Transrapid is a German-developed high-speed monorail train using magnetic levitation. Planning for the Transrapid system started in 1969 with a test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany completed in 1987. In 1991 technical readiness for application was approved by the Deutsche Bundesbahn in cooperation with renowned universities.
The last version, the Transrapid 09, is designed for a cruising speed of 500 km/h (311 mph) and allows acceleration and deceleration of approximately 1 m/s2 (2.24 mph/s/s). Read more...
The Netherlands is connected to the European high-speed rail network with one dedicated high-speed line, HSL-Zuid, and improved traditional rail. Plans for a second and third dedicated high-speed line, HSL-Oost and Zuiderzeelijn, have been cancelled.
Three high-speed train services are operated in the Netherlands: Thalys, InterCityExpress (ICE), and Eurostar, although a fourth one (Fyra, which has been withdrawn) has operated there. Thalys started operating on the HSL-Zuid on 13 December 2009. Read more...
TCDD HT80000 is a series of high-speed electric multiple units built by Siemens for the Turkish State Railways. The EMUs are used on the Turkish high-speed railway network and especially on the Polatlı–Konya high-speed railway, where they can reach a maximum speed of 300 km/h. Read more...- Taiwan High Speed Rail (abbreviated THSR or HSR) is a high-speed rail line that runs approximately 350 km (217 mi), along the west coast of Taiwan, from the capital Taipei to the southern city of Kaohsiung. With construction managed by a private company, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC; TWSE: 2633), which also operates the line, the total cost of the project was NT$513.3 billion in 1998. At the time it was built, this was one of the world's largest privately funded rail construction schemes. The system is based primarily on Japan's Shinkansen technology.
The line opened for service on 5 January 2007, with trains running at a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), currently running from Nangang to Zuoying in as little as 1:45 hours, reaching almost 90% of Taiwan's population. Most intermediate stations on the line lie outside the cities served; however, a variety of transfer options, such as free shuttle buses, conventional rail, and metros have been constructed to facilitate transport connections. Read more... - Talgo Avril is a high-speed train that Talgo is developing. It stands for "Alta Velocidad Rueda Independiente Ligero" (roughly translated as "Light High-Speed Independent Wheel"). Read more...
In February 2009, the government of Portugal announced plans to build a high-speed rail line from Lisbon to Madrid; this plan was cancelled in March 2012 amidst a bailout programme of financial assistance to the Portuguese Republic. The project was valued at €7.8 billion and the government had claimed it would create 100,000 jobs. The line would link to Spain's Southwest Corridor. Read more...
The TAV (Portuguese: Trem de Alta Velocidade, meaning train of high-speed) is planned to be Brazil's first planned high-speed rail service. The first line was proposed to run between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. It was expected to cover the 403 kilometres (250 mi) between Barão de Mauá station, and Campo de Marte Airport in an 85 minutes, reaching a maximum speed of 350 kilometres per hour (220 mph).
The project was originally budgeted at US$15 billion, supported by both private and international investors rather than government. The route was originally planned for starting construction in 2010, but the Brazilian government currently plans to hold an auction to choose the train operator in late 2014. Read more...
Stadler FLIRT (Fast Light Innovative Regional Train; German: Flinker leichter innovativer Regional-Triebzug) is a diesel or electric multiple unit railcar made by Stadler Rail of Switzerland. The articulated trainset comes in units of two to six cars with two to six motorized axles. The maximum speed is 200 km/h (120 mph). Standard floor height is 57 cm (22.4 in), but 78 cm (30.7 in) high floors are also available for platform heights of 76 cm (29.9 in).
The FLIRT train was originally developed for the Swiss Federal Railways and was first delivered in 2004. The trains quickly became a success and were ordered by operators in Algeria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and, most recently (2018), Canada. As of 18.04.2018, more than 1500 units have been sold. Read more...
The Advanced Passenger Train (APT) was a tilting high speed train developed by British Rail during the 1970s and early 1980s, for use on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The WCML contained many curves, and the APT pioneered the concept of active tilting to address these, a feature that has since appeared on designs around the world. The experimental APT-E achieved a new British railway speed record on 10 August 1975 when it reached 152.3 miles per hour (245.1 km/h), only to be bested by the service prototype APT-P at 162.2 miles per hour (261.0 km/h) in December 1979, a record that stood for 23 years.
Development of the service prototypes dragged on, and by the late 1970s the design had been under construction for a decade and the trains were still not ready for service. The election of Margaret Thatcher brought matters to a head and she alluded to funding cuts for the project. Facing the possibility of cancellation, BR management decided to put the prototypes into service, with the first runs along the London-Glasgow route taking place in December 1981. The result was a media circus when every problem large or small received front-page coverage and the entire project derided as an example of BR's incompetence. The trains were withdrawn from service again by the end of the month, to the great amusement of the press. Read more...
High-speed rail is a type of rail transport that operates significantly faster than traditional rail traffic, using an integrated system of specialized rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, new lines in excess of 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph) and existing lines in excess of 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph) are widely considered to be high-speed, with some extending the definition to include lower speeds in areas for which these speeds still represent significant improvements. The first such system began operations in Japan in 1964 and was widely known as the bullet train. High-speed trains normally operate on standard gauge tracks of continuously welded rail on grade-separated right-of-way that incorporates a large turning radius in its design.
Many countries have developed high-speed rail to connect major cities, including Austria, Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uzbekistan.
Only in Europe does HSR cross international borders. China has 22,000 kilometres (14,000 mi) of HSR as of end December 2016, accounting for two-thirds of the world's total. Read more...
The British Rail Class 800 is a type of bi-mode multiple unit used in the United Kingdom, powered by electric traction motors being capable of operating on electrified track using overhead wires and unelectrified track using diesel generators. The trains are based on the Hitachi A-train design. They have been built by Hitachi since 2014. The first units entered service on the Great Western Main Line (GWML) in October 2017, and will enter service on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) from 2019. The Class 802 is similar but has uprated diesel engines and larger fuel tanks.
These trains are being assembled at the Hitachi Newton Aycliffe facility, alongside the related Class 801 electric multiple unit, from bodyshells shipped from the Kasado plant in Japan; no body construction takes place in the UK. Read more...
The InterCity 125 (also referred to as the High Speed Train) is a diesel-powered passenger train built by British Rail Engineering Limited between 1975 and 1982. Each is made up of two Class 43 power cars, one at each end of six to nine Mark 3 carriages. The name is derived from its top operational speed of 125 mph (201 km/h). Initially the sets were classified as Classes 253 and 254.
As of July 2018, InterCity 125s remained in service with CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, Great Western Railway, London North Eastern Railway and Network Rail. Most of those operating with GWR and LNER will be replaced by Class 800 and 801s by December 2019; Abellio ScotRail began using refurbished ex-GWR trains in October 2018. Read more...
RABDe 500 041 William Barbey at Lugano.
The RABDe 500 (often nicknamed ICN for Intercity-Neigezug, German for Intercity Tilting Train), is a Swiss passenger train which was introduced in 2000, in time for Expo.02 held in western Switzerland in 2002. Its maximum speed is 200 km/h (120 mph), which can be reached on the Mattstetten–Rothrist new line; the RABDe 500 uses the branch to Solothurn only; the ICNs reach 200 km/h in the new Gotthard Base Tunnel. The train sets were a joint development by Bombardier, Swiss Federal Railways and Alstom, with an aerodynamic body designed by Pininfarina, bogies and tilting mechanism designed by the then SIG, Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft.
Forty-four RABDe 500 trains with a total of 308 coaches were delivered to SBB-CFF-FFS between 1999 and 2005. The RABDe 500 often run with two complete compositions, each with seven carriages, both including a dining car. The outer four of the seven carriages are second class. All compartments have electric power supply sockets and mobile phone reception enhancers. Read more...
Plans and studies have been in the works for high-speed rail (HSR) in Indonesia since before 2010. A new plan to build a HSR was announced by Indonesian Government in July 2015. Indonesia's first – and possibly also Southeast Asia's first – high-speed rail project was expected to connect the national capital Jakarta with Bandung in neighboring West Java province, covering a distance of around 140 kilometres. Plans were also mentioned for a possible later extension of the HSR to Indonesia's second largest city, Surabaya in East Java.
Both Japan and China had expressed their interest in the project. Previously, both countries had carried out comprehensive studies for a project for the Jakarta–Bandung section (150 km). Only the Japanese agency, JICA, had issued a study for a project extending to Surabaya (730 km). The Indonesian HSR bid marked rivalry between Japan and China in their competition for Asian infrastructure projects. Read more...
The Regina is a Swedish model of electric multiple unit passenger train, manufactured by Bombardier Transportation (formerly Adtranz). It is used by the national passenger railway SJ along with numerous regional and private operators, in variants designated X50, X51, X52, X53, X54 and X55, and in two-, three-, and four carriage models. The Regina is wider than other Swedish trains; at 3,450 mm (135 7⁄8 in), it allows five-across seating, increasing passenger capacity by 25 %. The car body is built of stainless steel, with only bolsters and coupler pockets made of mild steel. The length is 54 m (177 ft 2 in), 80 m (262 ft 6 in) and 105 m (344 ft 6 in), and the capacity 165-294 seats. A variant of the Regina is used in China as the CRH1.
Top speeds of various models range from 180 to 200 km/h (110 to 120 mph). As part of the Gröna tåget (‘the green train’) project, a modified X52 train set the Swedish rail-speed record of 303 km/h (188 mph) on 14 September 2008; the goal is to reach 250 km/h (160 mph) in regular service. Read more...
ICE 4 is a brand name for long-distance Intercity-Express high-speed trains being procured by Deutsche Bahn.
Procurement started around 2008 for replacements for locomotive-hauled InterCity and EuroCity train services, and was later expanded to include replacements for ICE 1 and ICE 2 high-speed trainsets. In 2011 Siemens AG was awarded the contract for 130 seven-car intercity train replacements, and 90 ten-car ICE train replacements, plus further options – the contract for the ten-car sets was modified 2013 to expand the trainset length to twelve vehicles. The name ICx was used for the trains during the initial stages of the procurement; in late 2015 the trains were rebranded 'ICE 4', at the unveiling of the first trainset, and given the class designation 412 by Deutsche Bahn. Read more...
In Sweden many trains run at 200 km/h. Train types which currently attain this speed include the X2 tilting trains for long distances, the Regina widebody trains, the X40 double-decker regional trains, and the Arlanda Airport Express X3. Since both the X2 and X3 are allowed to run at 205 km/h in case of delay, they can technically be considered as high-speed trains. The X2 runs between many cities in Sweden including Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. The Arlanda Express trains connect Stockholm and Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Read more...
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Selected images
The Italian ETR 200
The Korean-developed KTX Sancheon
High-speed line on a viaduct to avoid ramp and road-crossing, with a British Rail Class 373 from Eurostar in old livery crossing it.
The Spanish AVE AVE Class 102 "Pato" (duck)
The German DB Class 103
Burlington Zephyr passenger train
L0 Series Shinkansen, unconventional world speed record holder (603 km/h or 374.7 mph)
the FS Class ETR 500
V150 train, modified TGV, conventional world speed record holder (574.8 km/h or 357.2 mph)
The Tōkaidō Shinkansen high-speed line in Japan, with Mount Fuji in the background
"Le Capitole" train, in Paris Austerlitz
Chinese CRH380A high speed train
The TGV Sud Est, in Paris Lyon, in 1982
Metroliner trains developed in the U.S. for rapid service between New York and Washington, DC
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