High Speed Trains

[baron-pierreIV]

From what I heard, China could be the first foreign nation to want to have them.

I hear there was a California delegation on board that test run.

[Sir Rols]

However, I am concerned about the safety of the whole exercise. I mean, the track needs to be in top form all the time. One small misstep along the way and there could be potential for a bad accident to occur. Never mind the other hazards that could come into play along the route.

I also wonder how legitimate the record is. I remember about a decade back when another rail speed record was attempted, it required a specially prepared length of track and the overhead eletricity cables to be stretched and taughtened way beyond the usual limits. I don't think it would be achievable on a "normal" stretch of track.

The maglev results, however, on your chart above, are probably more feasible, seeing as these would have been achieved on a "standard" maglev line, which would be incompatible with conventiopnal rail anyway.

[Guardian]

Roltel, this BBC article's title goes a bit further. It calls whether such speed records are necessary in the first place.

Link: BBC: What's The Point Of Speed Records?

If you were to look at some opinions at the bottom of this article, some of it gave me quite a chuckle.

[Guardian]

Not long after Taiwan got its high speed train service on line, it is now the People's Republic of China's turn to have the world spotlight on this matter.

Link: BBC: China Launches High-Speed Trains

Quotes:

"China has begun running a new service of high-speed trains, capable of speeds of over 200 km/h. The first of the 140 trains left Shanghai for nearby Suzhou at 0538 local time (2138 GMT on Tuesday)."

"However, the trains will only be able to reach full speed on 6,000km (3,728 miles) of track. Speed restrictions will be imposed on another 36,000km. The first train took just 39 minutes to travel from Shanghai to Suzhou, cutting the normal journey time in half, Xinhua news agency said."

On the CANADIAN front, it seems that such a service could be on line between Calgary and Edmonton by 2013, if a later report this summer supports the idea. If it goes ahead, then the trains that could be used here range from the diesel type to the Japanese bullet trains; 4 different ones to decide here. This news comes on the heels that, later today, the province will hand down its first budget under the Stelmach government.

[Citius Altius Fortius]

France to have another high-speed train link. They could have trains in service using this line that could go at 320 km/h (200 mph) from Paris to Strasbourg.

The ICE and the TGV ran together in Gard d'Est to celebrate the start of the new high-speed-link between Germany and France!!!

[Guardian]

Erased the original comment here and this is the replacement.

High-speed rail between Calgary and Edmonton economically feasible: report

August 10, 2007 - 5:15

CALGARY (CP) - A new report says a high-speed rail link between Calgary and Edmonton is economically feasible.

Global TV Calgary said the report done for the Alberta government is based on interviews with 5,000 motorists, 1,000 air travellers, and 700 bus users.

The multibillion-dollar project would offer high-speed travel between the two cities, as well as Red Deer, which sits in between.

An average trip between downtown Calgary and Edmonton would take about 84 minutes and cost $130 for a round trip.

The Alberta government will release the report later this month.

Premier Ed Stelmach, who earlier this year called the rail-link "inevitable," reiterated his support for the project Thursday.

"If we could remove or reduce 25 per cent of the cars off Highway 2, it not only reduces CO2 and other pollution, but it will also reduce future costs of widening the highway and also the repair on the road," Stelmach said while attending the premiers' meeting in Moncton, N.B.

Bill Cruickshanks, president of Alberta High Speed Rail, the private company that hopes to build the project, said the train would allow people to commute daily between Calgary and Edmonton.

"You can have people working in Edmonton in the morning and Calgary in the afternoon and still be home in time to have their evening meals with their family," Cruickshanks said, adding that accidents on Highway 2, the main north-south highway in the province, would be reduced with less motor vehicle traffic, especially during the winter.

Peter Wallis, president of the Van Horne Institute, which conducted a preliminary study on the rail link, said the project will attract more businesses to the provinces.

"Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton would be looked at as one economic unit," he said.

Global TV said the government has already bought land in downtown Edmonton and Calgary to accommodate train stations.

(Global TV Calgary)

Edited August 10, 2007 by Guardian

[Rei]

TAV Turin-Milan-Naples under costruction: more than 700 km (=about 450 Miles) of new high speed railroads through the peninsula ready for 2009.

TAV -Video resume

[amorincognito]

TAV Turin-Milan-Naples under costruction: more than 700 km (=about 450 Miles) of new high speed railroads through the peninsula ready for 2009.

TAV -Video resume

will this connect with the planned Lyon - Turin transalpine link?

[Guardian]

According to Wikipedia, these countries could or will have high-speed train lines in the future, besides Canada and the US.

In Europe:

- Austria

- Belgium

- Croatia

- Ireland

- Netherlands

- Portugal

- Russia (especially for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games)

- Sweden

- Switzerland

- Turkey

In the Americas:

- Mexico

- Argentina

- Brazil

In Asia:

- India

- Iran

- Israel

- Malaysia and Singapore

- Pakistan

- Saudi Arabia

- Vietnam

In Africa:

- Algeria

- Morocco

- South Africa (especially for 2010 FIFA Men's World Cup)

And, of course, in the Oceania region: Australia.

Link: Wikipedia's Planned High-Speed Rail Projects

What do you guys think? That Vietnam one scratches my head big time.

Edited August 19, 2007 by Guardian

[The Moose]

According to Wikipedia, these countries could or will have high-speed train lines in the future, besides Canada and the US.

In Europe:

- Austria

- Belgium

- Croatia

- Ireland

- Netherlands

- Portugal

- Russia (especially for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games)

- Sweden

- Switzerland

- Turkey

In the Americas:

- Mexico

- Argentina

- Brazil

In Asia:

- India

- Iran

- Israel

- Malaysia and Singapore

- Pakistan

- Saudi Arabia

- Vietnam

In Africa:

- Algeria

- Morocco

- South Africa (especially for 2010 FIFA Men's World Cup)

And, of course, in the Oceania region: Australia.

Link: Wikipedia's Planned High-Speed Rail Projects

What do you guys think? That Vietnam one scratches my head big time.

Needless to say, making such lists is difficult, as it is diffucult to judge how realistic plans are, and where to put the threshold to put it on such a list. As I have mentioned before, there are also public feasibility studies regarding a high speed network in Norway these days. The possible lines are Gothenburg-Oslo-Trondheim and Oslo-Bergen/Stavanger. Of course, building a proper motorway network will come at the fraction of the cost, but these are times environmental friendliness is high on the political agenda.

As discussed in the various WOG threads, particularly the Swedes in the Jämtland county (where Åre/Östersund is located), are also pushing the "Atlantbanan" (Atlantic railway) Stockholm-Östersund/(Sundsvall?)-Trondheim. This may be an important step stone in the Swedish dream of a WOG, and may become a reality at some point.

[Guardian]

The Eurostar journey from Paris to St Pancras in 2:03:39.

Link: BBC: Eurostar Sets Paris-London Record

Eurostar began carrying passengers in 1994

Quote: "Eurostar has set a speed record on its inaugural journey from Paris to London via a new high-speed line."

Trains will run from the new St Pancras from November

Quote: "St Pancras station will eventually be linked to the site of the 2012 Olympics at Stratford, east London."

[baron-pierreIV]

They are seriously studying and laying the groundwork for an all-inclusive bullet-train network for CA. The main routes would be SF/Oakland as 1 terminus, This would connect to a line to Los Angeles and eventually San Diego. From the Stockton stop, they are thinking of running a line from there to Sacramtno,

It's really in planning stages at this point. They have to get everybody on the same page. THere is an early estimate budget of $35 million just to plan it and send it to legislative steps, But when construction starts, look for a budget of some $35 billion to get it done.

Edited September 4, 2007 by baron-pierreIV

[Lee]

Can't wait to start using the new service. To be able to go between the centre of London and Paris in such a short time is very exciting. However, it does annoy me when they say it costs from £59 return. Has anyone ever paid tthis price? It's always cost me much more than that, even though i've booked way in advance. Perhaps i'm not finding the best fare. I get a little confused witht he Eurostar booking system.

[Guardian]

They are seriously studying and laying the groundwork for an all-inclusive bullet-train network for CA. The main routes would be SF/Oakland as 1 terminus, This would connect to a line to Los Angeles and eventually San Diego. From the Stockton stop, they are thinking of running a line from there to Sacramtno,

It's really in planning stages at this point. They have to get everybody on the same page. THere is an early estimate budget of $35 million just to plan it and send it to legislative steps, But when construction starts, look for a budget of some $35 billion to get it done.

I can see California needing at least one such line, as America's most populous state. Makes me wonder, if other areas of America could have get something like this in the future.

[Guardian]

Well, it looks like Germany will be "Europe's most advanced nation", when it comes to this topic. Munich will build Europe's first mag-lev train between its city center and the international airport first. The only other city in the world that has this kind of service is Shanghai, which Germany did have a hand in helping that city out. And, to think, Japan will NOT have such a service there until around 2025 at the earliest.

Link: BBC: Germany To Build Maglev Railway

Shanghai's maglev train started commercial service in 2003

Munich is following in Shanghai's footsteps

Opposite poles on magnets keep train above track

Train is propelled by electro-magnetic system in the sides of the "guideway" instead of onboard engine

Top speed (with passengers) - 450km/h (280mph)

Developed by Transrapid Int in Germany

Operating commercially in Shanghai

Test facility in Emsland, northern Germany, is longest of its kind at 31.5km (19.5 miles)

Source: Transrapid International

Note: Will this make a possible Munich bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics "really tough to beat?"

[james]

How do you define high speed train? Is it as from 300kmph and above speed? If it's China should as well be on the list for Asia and the new train track in Nigeria for Africa. I need a proper defination of you high speed train here.

[The Moose]

How do you define high speed train? Is it as from 300kmph and above speed? If it's China should as well be on the list for Asia and the new train track in Nigeria for Africa. I need a proper defination of you high speed train here.

The list is of countries that are building or will build high speed trains in the future, thus neither France, Germany, China nor Japan, to name a few countries that already have operating high speed train lines, appeared on this list. And > 300 km/h is certainly "high speed train", does Nigeria actually have such a line?

[Rei]

How do you define high speed train? Is it as from 300kmph and above speed? If it's China should as well be on the list for Asia and the new train track in Nigeria for Africa. I need a proper defination of you high speed train here.

Are to be considered high-speed lines the ones reaching a minimum of 250Kmph but I guess that in countries like France and Japan this soil could be even higher. They are also adapted for both goods and people transport, more powerful elctric feeeding, top-standard security system and straight rail (as much as possible) with large curves.

[The Moose]

Are to be considered high-speed lines the ones reaching a minimum of 250Kmph but I guess that in countries like France and Japan this soil could be even higher. They are also adapted for both goods and people transport, more powerful elctric feeeding, top-standard security system and straight rail (as much as possible) with large curves.

That may be true, but already at 325 a high speed train consumes as much energy per seat as an airplane with similar load factor on intermediate (~600 km) distances, and the energy use doubles between 200 km/h and 300 km/h. Airplanes are more flexible than trains and are realisticly likely to have higher load factors. In addition, the extreme speed means much higher line construction costs in most countries. An environmental sound speed, which still will make train competetive with airplanes on intermediate distances, are probably 200-250 km/h. Of course, if you have a clean renewable source of electricity, high energy consumption is not a problem for trains, but for most countries this is not the case.

[skicross]

In Spain our High Speed trains (AVE) will reach 350 km/h in 2008/2009.

[james]

The list is of countries that are building or will build high speed trains in the future, thus neither France, Germany, China nor Japan, to name a few countries that already have operating high speed train lines, appeared on this list. And > 300 km/h is certainly "high speed train", does Nigeria actually have such a line?

I mean the planned monorail for Calabar and the future LRT for Lagos( the Lagos one has already commensed). As at now no good operating railway system is on ground apart from the one Chinese are working on. I hope get me right now?

One of the obvious disadvantages of these high speed train in Africa should be energy consumption that goes with the propulsion, making difficult to operate well with lack of enough and constant working electricity in continent. The potential is there only that foreing investments will make the difference.

[Sir Rols]

I was going to post this yesterday, but got distracted and forgot.

LONDON, Nov 6 PA - Britain's Queen Elizabeth will today signal the start of faster rail journey times from Britain to continental Europe by officially opening a new Channel Tunnel rail terminal in London.

Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen will not only open train company Eurostar's new terminal at St Pancras station but also open the finally-completed STG5.8 billion ($A13.15 billion) Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

Now to be known as High Speed 1, the 109km link runs from St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel opening at Folkestone in Kent.

Next week, Eurostar switches its terminal from Waterloo station to St Pancras and will be able to offer quicker journey times on its services between London and Paris and Brussels.

Tonight's ceremony will involve three trains arriving at St Pancras. Their three drivers will meet the Queen, who will also be introduced to those who have transformed the late-Victorian building of St Pancras into a 21st century terminal.

The French had their high-speed Channel Tunnel link ready in 1993 - a year before the tunnel was officially opened - while the Belgians completed their link in the late-1990s.

The UK, however, spent years dithering over the cost and route of its link, meaning that Eurostar trains could only reach their ultimate 186mph speed in France and Belgium while comparatively crawling through south London and Kent.

After many years of difficulty and funding crises, the first section of the UK fast link - from Folkestone to north Kent - was finally completed in autumn 2003.

The second section, from Ebbsfleet in north Kent to St Pancras, has now been finished. From next week, London-Paris journey times will be reduced by 20 minutes to around two hours 15 minutes, while the London-Brussels trips will come down to less than two hours.

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers has written to Ruth Kelly to call for cross-party co-operation on taking forward planning and feasibility studies for more high-speed rail projects in the UK.

Mrs Villiers said: ``New high-speed rail lines could take 10 to 20 years to get off the ground. Delivering projects like this requires long-term strategic work over several parliaments.

``It is therefore very important we seek to build a cross-party consensus on this issue if we are to make real progress towards the high-speed rail projects of the future.

``For example, we need to be thinking and pre-empting now for what will happen when the east and west coast main lines are completely full in a few years' time.

``At our party conference in October, I announced that an incoming Conservative government would undertake feasibility studies on high-speed rail including consideration of pilot projects and assessment of overall costs.

``Today, I am asking Ruth Kelly to join me in starting that preparatory work now so that we can evaluate the options for delivery of the fast, reliable and green travel choices travellers need and want.''

So finally the Eurostar link is high speed all the way. About bloody time!

[Rob2012]

Great station. And back to the Olympics, it'll be 7 minutes on the Javellin to get from here (St Pancras):

To here (Olympic Park, Stratford International):

Edited November 8, 2007 by Rob ♪

[Tanaka_Ray]

I just curios, is there any high speed trans in USA ? If there is not, why ?

[baron-pierreIV]

Ugh! I don't like it from that angle. It looks like a big petroleum storage tank. UGLY!!!

Tanaka asked:

I just curios, is there any high speed trans in USA ? If there is not, why ?

There is one, in the northeast corridor, connecting Boston - NYC - Washington DC. However, because the distances aren't really all that distant; and it travels thru heavily populated areas, it rarely accelerates to its maximum potential speed.

They are planning one for California - from the Bay Area down to Los Angeles (and maybe san Diego). But that is a long way off; at least 7-8 years away. Of course, the airlines are opposing it because they would suffer the most from loss of passengers.

Edited November 8, 2007 by baron-pierreIV