The Fastest Trains in the World
The progression of human technology has allowed travel to become faster, through the development of planes, cars, and the like. However, one of the fastest methods now available is also one of the oldest. Technological progress has sped up trains to the point where trips that were once day-long might now only take hours. Here are just a few of the fastest and most notable trains currently out there.
One of the first high-speed rail trains and still one of the fastest is Japan's Shinkansen, known commonly in the West as the bullet train. The Shinkansen was originally designed to allow for easy travel between Tokyo and Osaka, reducing congestion and the like in the crowded nation. The first model of the Shinkansen began running in 1964, and even then it was able to hit top speeds of 256 km/h (159 mph). More recently, the Shinkansen has been improved to the point where trains connected to the network can travel at up to 300 km/h (190 mph), and there are now bullet trains connecting much more of Japan. Japan also notably holds the record for land speed by rail, thanks to the still-experimental MLX01, a maglev train with a top speed of 581 km/h (361 mph). Thanks to its strong focus on technology, Japan's high speed rail network is likely to only increase in quality.
China currently holds the world record for the highest speed obtained with an unmodified commercial train. The CRH380A can reach a top speed of 380 km/h (236 mph) in commercial use, and in test runs it obtained a speed of 481 km/h (302 mph). The train was designed with as many speed-increasing factors as possible, engineered by some of China's top scientists. The features include the streamlined shape, vibration-dampening materials, and more. The train has now been introduced into commercial use, running between Shanghai and Nanjing as well as Shanghai and Hangzhou. The train marks a general effort on the part of the Chinese government to improve rail transport and produce high-speed rail networks and trains, partially for practical purposes and most likely partially as a show of technological progress.
Europe has developed a good network of high speed railways as well, although none are as fast as those in China and Japan. High speed lines connect most of the European Union, easing travel and transport. Many countries, like Germany, have put a good focus on development and improvement of rail networks. With time, it might be able to cross from France to Russia in just hours.
High speed rail offers a new alternative to traditional methods, allowing for ease, convenience, and speed in travel across great distances. Innovations are being made, and someday soon the MLX01 might have its record broken.