New train speed record

[DanishDynamite]

Japan's maglev train sets record

Excerpt:

The experimental three-car maglev was carrying passengers when it set the world's top speed for a train, clocking at 581 kph (361 mph), Central Japan Railway Co., which is carrying out the experiments, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Wow.

My psychic prediction for today: Trains of this type will one day make non-ocean-crossing flights obsolete.

I mean, what's the average cruising speed of planes today? 500 mph? 600 mph? And trains are city-center to city-center. With little to no check in time.

Go maglevs!

 

[garys_2k]

The trouble with trains (especially these maglevs) is the cost of the underlying infrastructure, the rails and rights of way. That's where planes have it all over them, it costs nothing to fly over private property and you can easily scale up the number of flights by letting more than one plane fly the same route at different altitudes and spaced horizontally.

This makes a purely private train venture out of the question, no company could afford to buy up all that right of way, install the tracks, run them and just HOPE for a profit. They can with airliners, and do it all the time.

 

[arcticpenguin]

If you're willing to give up on the requirement of a purely private venture, many governments are willing to invest in fast, reliable transit. The existing Shinkansen trains are already much faster than anything in the U.S.

Japan is on the Pacifi rim, I do hope they planned for what might happen if a sizable earthquake hit right underneath a train moving at 581 km/h.

 

[garys_2k]

Yes, a government would have to run it, or at least build the track system. They have eminent domain power to condemn property for the right of way and would put up the infrastructure money.

 

[DanishDynamite]

The trouble with trains (especially these maglevs) is the cost of the underlying infrastructure, the rails and rights of way. That's where planes have it all over them, it costs nothing to fly over private property and you can easily scale up the number of flights by letting more than one plane fly the same route at different altitudes and spaced horizontally.

This makes a purely private train venture out of the question, no company could afford to buy up all that right of way, install the tracks, run them and just HOPE for a profit. They can with airliners, and do it all the time.

There would be no problems in regard to "right-of-way". This right already exists, as the rails already exist. The rails just need to be upgraded.

 

[garys_2k]

There would be no problems in regard to "right-of-way". This right already exists, as the rails already exist. The rails just need to be upgraded.

Perhaps in Europe, with an existing route structure in place. Here in the States there are plenty of areas that would need new stations (larger suburbs around older cities, for example) and track.

 

[DanishDynamite]

If you're willing to give up on the requirement of a purely private venture, many governments are willing to invest in fast, reliable transit. The existing Shinkansen trains are already much faster than anything in the U.S.

Japan is on the Pacifi rim, I do hope they planned for what might happen if a sizable earthquake hit right underneath a train moving at 581 km/h.

Likewise, I hope the airlines have foreseen typhoons, birds in the engines and similar.

 

[DanishDynamite]

Perhaps in Europe, with an existing route structure in place. Here in the States there are plenty of areas that would need new stations (larger suburbs around older cities, for example) and track.

I'm not surprised by the lack of forethought.

 

[Skeptical Greg]

I'm not surprised by the lack of forethought.

Oh, they thought about it allright.. Most of the thinking went on in the offices of Ford, Chrysler and GM...

 

[arcticpenguin]

Oh, they thought about it allright.. Most of the thinking went on in the offices of Ford, Chrysler and GM...

Unfortunately Diogenes is neither joking nor exaggerating. http://www.trainweb.org/mts/ctc/ctc06.html

 

[ceptimus]

There would be no problems in regard to "right-of-way". This right already exists, as the rails already exist. The rails just need to be upgraded.

I disagree with this point. A train travelling at 581 kph, needs a much straighter track than conventional trains, so many existing rail routes would be unsuitable.

I also suspect that a 581 kph train makes a lot more noise as it goes past.

 

[DanishDynamite]

Oh, they thought about it allright.. Most of the thinking went on in the offices of Ford, Chrysler and GM...

Isn't the free market wonderful?!

 

[DanishDynamite]

Unfortunately Diogenes is neither joking nor exaggerating. http://www.trainweb.org/mts/ctc/ctc06.html

I never thought he was. Your link, however, seems slightly conspiracy-ish.

 

[DanishDynamite]

I disagree with this point. A train travelling at 581 kph, needs a much straighter track than conventional trains, so many existing rail routes would be unsuitable.

Perhaps. The "straightening" of main lines would however, IMO, be fairly marginal in relation to introducing new rails in virgin territory.

I also suspect that a 581 kph train makes a lot more noise as it goes past.

Nope. Maglevs are very silent. See my link.

 

[Ove]

Perhaps. The "straightening" of main lines would however, IMO, be fairly marginal in relation to introducing new rails in virgin territory.

This has allready been done on large parts of Europe where high speed trains are running already. The French train TGV had the previous speed record with i believe 520+ Km/hr on CONVENTIONAL rails. AMTRAK is a snail compared.

But you're missing another point. Trains today are electrical which means they can be supplied from coal/nucleay/hydro electric/fusion etc plants. Aeroplanes rely on them pesky dwindling fossile fuels.

 

[Hamish]

I disagree with this point. A train travelling at 581 kph, needs a much straighter track than conventional trains, so many existing rail routes would be unsuitable.

I also suspect that a 581 kph train makes a lot more noise as it goes past.

I don't think it would be significantly noisier. It may even be quieter since you have no contact with the rails which is the main source of noise. The noise depends on whether the driving force comes from a conventional engine or from a magnetic effect fromthe tracks themselves. If the latter, the train need have no major moving parts and very little noise.

Perhaps. The "straightening" of main lines would however, IMO, be fairly marginal in relation to introducing new rails in virgin territory.

Virgin territory? That has a wonderful double meaning here in the UK where Richard Branson's company runs some of the high-speed trains.

Can't see it ever happening in the UK though. We can barely get a conventional rail network to run.

 

[Jon_in_london]

I don't think it would be significantly noisier. It may even be quieter since you have no contact with the rails which is the main source of noise.

Indeed, these would be pretty much as close to silent as you could get.

Virgin territory? That has a wonderful double meaning here in the UK where Richard Branson's company runs some of the high-speed trains.

AHAHAHAHHAH AH AHA BWAHAHAHAHAHA AH AH AH AH......oooooooooooo you crack me up! Virgin trains? High speed!? thats priceless Hamish!

you'd be lucky if your train turned up at all.

 

[Hamish]

AHAHAHAHHAH AH AHA BWAHAHAHAHAHA AH AH AH AH......oooooooooooo you crack me up! Virgin trains? High speed!? thats priceless Hamish!

you'd be lucky if your train turned up at all.

 

[The Don]

This has allready been done on large parts of Europe where high speed trains are running already. The French train TGV had the previous speed record with i believe 520+ Km/hr on CONVENTIONAL rails. AMTRAK is a snail compared.

But you're missing another point. Trains today are electrical which means they can be supplied from coal/nucleay/hydro electric/fusion etc plants. Aeroplanes rely on them pesky dwindling fossile fuels.

Coal is a fossil fuel....

The investment in infrastructure to allow for transoceanic trains is unlikely to happen in the forseeable future.

Aeroplanes have significantly higher potential capacity

I DO see trains replacing aeroplanes for city centre to city centre travel

 

[Ove]

Coal is a fossil fuel....

Yep, but the rest of those i mentioned are not.

The investment in infrastructure to allow for transoceanic trains is unlikely to happen in the forseeable future.

I agree, but then again, the need for transatlantic travel at least for business purposes are diminishing. Hi speed computer links do make a lot of travelling for meetings unnescessary AND you could always convert USS Enterprise - Nimitz etc to passenger liners.

Aeroplanes have significantly higher potential capacity

Yes at present BUT the reserves of oil WILL dry out.

I DO see trains replacing aeroplanes for city centre to city centre travel

Agree 100%. The new "Great Belt Bridge" in Denmark together with a high speed train line (well RELATIVE high speed) has virtually viped out domestic passenger flights.