High-speed rail is a type of
passenger
rail transport that operates significantly faster than tr
aditional
rail traffic. As of 2012 the maximum commercial speed was about 300 km/h
(185 mph) for the majority of installed systems (China, Germany, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, UK), 310 km/h (195 mph) in Spain and
320 km/h (200 mph) in France. The
Shanghai Maglev Train reaches 431 km/h (268 mph).
High-speed trains travel at their maximum speed on specific tracks,
almost all using conventional tracks, generally using standard gauge
(except in countries like
Russia,
Finland and
Mongolia, which continue to use Russian gauge), whilst avoiding
at-grade crossings and minimizing curvature of the right-of-way.
The world speed record for conventional high-speed rail is held by
the
V150, a specially configured and heavily-modified version of
Alstom's
TGV which
clocked 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) on a test run. The world speed record for
Maglev
is held by the Japanese experimental
MLX01: 581 km/h (361 mph).[1]
While high-speed rail is usually designed for passenger travel, some
high-speed systems also offer
freight service. For instance, the French mail service
La Poste owns a few
special TGV trains for carrying postal freight.
The world's longest high-speed line opened in China on 26 December
2012. It runs 2,298 kilometers (1,428 miles)[2]
from the capital
Beijing
in the north to
Guangzhou in the South.[3]
Definitions
Multiple definitions for high-speed rail are in use worldwide.
- - 1. The infrastructure : those built specially for High Speed
travel or those specially upgraded for High Speed travel.
- - 2. The Rolling Stock : It must run at a speed of at least 250
km/h on lines specially built for High Speed, and at a speed
of the order of 200 km/h on existing lines which have been specially
upgraded.
- - 3. Compatibility of infrastructure and rolling stock : The
rolling stock must be designed along its infrastructure for a
complete compatibility, safety and quality of service.[4]
- The
International Union of Railways (UIC) prefers to use
"definitions" (plural) because they considers there is no single
standard definition of high speed rail, nor even a standard usage of
the term ("high speed", or "very high speed"). They reuse the
European EC Directive 96/58, insisting that high speed is a
combination of all the elements which constitute the “system” :
infrastructure, rolling stock and operating conditions.[4]
- In the United States, different administrations uses different
definitions :
- - The
United States Code defines high-speed rail as services
"reasonably expected to reach sustained speeds of more than 125 mph
(200 km/h)",[5]
- - The
Federal Railroad Administration uses a definition of top speeds
at 90 mph (145 km/h) and above.[6]
- - And the
Congressional Research Service uses the term "higher
speed rail" for speeds up to 150 mph (240 km/h) and "very high
speed rail" for the rail on dedicated tracks with speeds over
150 mph (240 km/h).[7]
It must be noted, as the UIC insists, that the High-Speed rail is a
set, with unique features : so, many conventionally-hauled trains,
everywhere in the world, are able to reach 200 km/h in commercial
service, but are not considered to be high-speed trains, such as the
French SNCF
Intercités or German
DB
IC.
History
See chronology at the end of the page
Early research
The German 1903 record holder
The German Fliegender Hamburger
The ancestor
Railways were the first form of mass transportation and had an
effective monopoly until the development of the
motorcar in the early 20th century.
High-speed rail development started on 6 October 1903 : an electrical
railcar from AEG
and
Siemens & Halske achieved 203 km/h (126 mph) on the military railway
track between Marienfeld and Zossen in Germany, showing that electric
high-speed rail was possible.
For scheduled trains, however, high speed rail travel was still more
than 30 years later.
The early German high-speed network
On 15 May 1933, the
Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft company introduced the
diesel-powered "Fliegender
Hamburger" in regular service between Hamburg and Berlin, thereby
establishing the fastest regular service in the world, with a regular
top speed of 160 km/h.
This train was a streamlined multi-powered unit, albeit diesel, and used
Jakobs bogies some 47 years before the advent of the TGV.
Following the success of the Hamburg line, the steam-powered
Henschel-Wegmann Train was developed and introduced in June 1936 for
service from
Berlin
to
Dresden, with a regular top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph).
Further development allowed the usage of these "Fliegenden Züge" (flying
trains) on a rail network across Germany.[8]
The "Diesel-Schnelltriebwagen-Netz" had been in the planning since 1934
but it never reach its envisaged size.
And in August 1939, shortly before the breakout of the war, all high
speed service stopped.[9]
The Italian electric and the last steam record
The German high speed service was followed in Italy in 1938 with an
electric-multiple-unit
ETR 200, designed for 200 km/h, between Bologna and Naples. It too
reached 160 km/h in commercial service, and achieved a world mean speed
record of 203 km/h (126 mph) near Milan in 1938.
In Great Britain in the same year, the streamlined
steam locomotive
Mallard achieved the official
world speed record for
steam locomotives at 125.88 mph (202.58 km/h).
The external combustion engines and boilers on steam locomotives were
large, heavy and time consuming to maintain, and the days of steam for
high speed were numbered.
The birth
of Talgo system
In 1945 a Spanish engineer, Alejandro Goicoechea, developed a
streamlined articulated train able to run on existing tracks at higher
speeds than contemporary passenger trains. This was achieved by
providing the locomotive and cars with a unique
axle system
that used one axle set per car end, connected by a Y-bar coupler.
Amongst other advantages, the centre of mass was only half as high as
usual.[10]
This system becomes famous under the name of
Talgo
(Tren Articulado Ligero Goicoechea Oriol), and is today the main Spanish
provider of high-speed trains.
The
first very-high-speed records
The French CC 7100, 1955 record holder
In the early 1950s, the French National Railway started to receive
their new powerful
CC 7100 electric locomotives, and began to study and evaluate
running at very high speeds. In 1954, the CC 7121 hauling a full train
achieved a record 243 km/h during a test on standard track.
The next year, two specially tuned electric locomotives, the CC 7107 and
the prototype BB 9001, broke previous speed records, reaching
respectively 320 km/h and 331 km/h, again on standard track.[11]
For the first time, the 300 km/h was surpassed, allowing the idea of
feasibility of very high-speed services.
New engineering studies began for this purpose. Especially, during
the 1955 records, very dangerous
hunting oscillation, the swaying of the
bogies
which at high speed leads to dynamic instability and potential
derailment, were discovered, and led to the use of
yaw dampers to solve this problem, enabling safe running speeds
above 300 km/h today. Important researches was also to made about
"current harnessing" at high-speed by the pantographs, that were solved
20 years later by the Zébulon TGV's prototype.
Breakthrough: The Shinkansen
The original 0 series Shinkansen train
Japanese research and development
If the French records don't have immediate continuation in Europe,
they will inspire another country : with some 45 million people living
in the densely populated
Tokyo-to-Osaka
corridor, congestion on road and rail became a serious problem after
World War II[12],
and Japanese were thinking seriously about a new high speed rail
service.
Japan in the 1950s was a crowded, resource-limited nation that for
security reasons did not want to import
petroleum, but needed a way to transport its millions of people in
and between cities.
Japanese National Railways (JNR) engineers then began to study the
development of a high-speed regular mass service. In 1955, they were
present in France at the
Lille's
Electrotechnology Congress, and during a 6-month visit, the lead
engineer of JNR was beside the deputy director Marcel Tessier at the
DETE (SNCF
Electric traction study department).[11]
JNR engineers came back to Japan with many ideas and technologies they
would use on their future trains: 50 Hz alternating current for rail
traction, international standard gauge, and others.
The first narrow-gauge Japanese high-speed service
In 1957, the engineers at local private
Odakyu Electric Railway in
Greater Tokyo area launched the
Odakyū 3000 series SE EMU. This EMU set a world record for
narrow gauge trains at 145 km/h (90 mph), giving the Odakyu
engineers confidence they could safely and reliably build even faster
trains at standard gauge.[12]
The classic Japanese railroad used narrow gauge, which is unsuitable for
very high-speed rail, thus
standard gauge would be used for high-speed service.
A new train
on a new line
The new service, named
Shinkansen (meaning new trunk line) would run on new, much
wider standard gauge, continuously-welded rails between Tokyo and Osaka
using new rolling stock, designed for 250 km/h. However, the
World Bank, supporting the project, considered the low quality of
the equipment, and set the maximum speed to 210 km/h.[11]
After initial feasibility tests, the plan was fast-tracked and
construction of the first section of the line started on 20 April 1959.[13]
In 1963, on the new track, tests runs hit a top speed of 256 km/h
(159 mph). Five years after the beginning of the construction work, in
October 1964, just in time for the
Olympic Games, the first modern high speed rail, the
Tōkaidō Shinkansen, was opened between the two cities.
The first Shinkansen trains, the
0 Series Shinkansen, built by
Kawasaki Heavy Industries—in English often called "Bullet Trains",
after the original Japanese name Dangan Ressha (弾丸列車)—outclassed
the earlier fast trains in commercial service. They ran the 515 km
(320 mi) distance in 3 hours 10 minutes, reaching a top speed of
210 km/h (130 mph) and sustaining an average speed of 162.8 km/h
(101.2 mph) with stops at Nagoya and Kyoto.
A great success
But the speed was only a part of the Shinkansen revolution: the
Shinkansen offered high-speed rail travel to the masses. The first
Bullet trains had 12 cars and later versions had up to 16,[14]
and double-deck trains further increased the capacity.[15][16]
After three years, more than 100 million passengers had used the
trains, and the milestone of the first one billion passengers was
reached in 1976.[17]
Revival in Europe
The British InterCity 125
A
first demonstration at 200 km/h
In Europe, high-speed rail began during the International Transport
Fair in
Munich in June 1965, when Dr Öpfering, the director of
Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Federal Railways), performed 347
demonstrations at 200 km/h (125 mph) between Munich and
Augsburg by
DB Class 103 hauled trains.
The same year, in France, the engineer
Jean Bertin created the
Aérotrain, a hovercraft monorail train, and built the first
prototype, supported by the French Land Settlement Commission (DATAR).
The prototype reached 200 km/h within days of opening.
First at 200 km/h : The Capitole
After the success of the Japanese Shinkansen in 1964, at 210 km/h,
the German demonstrations up to 200 km/h in 1965, and the
proof-of-concept jet-powered
Aérotrain, the
SNCF still
ran its fastest trains at only 160 km/h.
In 1966, the new French Infrastructure Minister, Edgard Pisani,
consulted engineers, and gave the French National Railways one year to
raise speeds to 200 km/h.[11]
The classic line
Paris-Toulouse
was chosen, and fitted, to support 200 km/h rather than 140 km/h. Some
improvements were set, notably the signals system, development of on
board "in-cab" signalling system, and curve revision.
The next year, in May 1967, the first regular service in the world at
200 km/h by a classic train was inaugurated by the
TEE "Le Capitole" between
Paris and
Toulouse, with specially-adapted
SNCF Class BB 9200 locomotives hauling classic UIC cars, and a full
red livery.
At the same time, the
Aérotrain prototype 02 reached 345 km/h on a half-scale experimental
track. In 1969, it achieved 422 km/h on the same track. On 5 March 1974,
the full-scale commercial prototype Aérotrain I80HV, jet powered,
reached 430 km/h.
The HST : a diesel high-speed train at 200 km/h
Great Britain followed Japan and France in 1976 with the introduction
by
British Rail of a new high-speed service, able to reach 200 km/h
(125 mph), hauled by the
diesel-electric train sets
InterCity 125, under the brand name of High Speed Train (HST). It
was the fastest diesel-powered train in regular service in the world,
and it outclassed its 100 mph (160 km/h) forerunners, in speed and
acceleration.
Like the Shinkansen, and future TGV, the train was built as a
reversible multi-car set, having driving power-cars at both ends, and a
fixed formation of passenger cars between them. Journey times were
reduced, sometimes by an hour on the
East Coast Main Line, and passenger numbers soared.
The Europe
at 200 km/h
The next year, in 1977, Germany finally introduced a new service at
200 km/h (125 mph), on the Munich-Augsburg line. That same year, Italy
inaugurated the first European High-Speed line, the
Direttissima between Roma and Florence, designed for 250 km/h,
but used by
FS E444 hauled train at 200 km/h (125 mph). This year also saw the
abandonment for political reasons of the Aérotrain project, in favour of
the TGV.
The French TGV
One power-car of the gas-turbine prototype "TGV 001"
The TGV at 574 km/h in 2007
Actives researches
Following the
1955 records, two divisions of the
SNCF began
to study high speed services. In 1964, the DETMT (petrol-engine traction
studies department of SNCF) planed the use of
gas turbine : a diesel-powered railcar is modified with a
gas-turbin, and is called "TGV" (Turbotrain Grande Vitesse).[11]
It reached 230 km/h in 1967, and served as a basis for the futur
Turbotrain and the real TGV.
In the same time, the new "SNCF Research Department", created in
1966, was studying some projects, especially a project code-named
"C03" : "Railways possibilities on new infrastructure (tracks)".[11]
The gas-turbine
In 1969, the "C03 project" is transferred to the public
administration while a contract with
Alsthom is ratified for the building of two gas-turbine high-speed
train prototypes, that will be named "TGV 001".
The prototype consisted of an undividable set of 5 cars and 2
power-cars at both end, each power-car powered by two gas-turbine
engine. The notable particularity of the set is the use of
Jakobs bogies, shared by two cars, that reduce drag and increase
safety.
The next year, in 1970, the DETMT's
Turbotrain, gas-turbine powered multiple-elements, designed for
200 km/h but used at 160 km/h began operations on
Paris-Cherbourg line. It allowed to experiment future TGV services,
especially regular high rate schedules, shuttle services, etc.[11]
The C03 Project
In 1971, the "C03" project, now known as "TGV Sud-Est", is validated
by the government, against the Bertin's Aerotrain.[11]
Until this date, there was a rivalry between the French Land Settlement
Commission (DATAR), supporting the Aérotrain, and the SNCF and its
ministry, supporting the conventional rail.
The "C03 project" projected the building a new High-Speed line between
Paris and
Lyon, with
a new multi-powered-elements train running at 260 km/h.
Indeed, at that time, the classic Paris-Lyon line is already heavily
saturated, a new line is required, and this very loaded corridor, not
too short (where car is preferred) nor too long (where planes are
better), is the best choice for the new service.
Turnaround :
electricity
The 1973 oil shock increase substantially the oil-prices. In the
continuity of the
De Gaulle "energy self-sufficiency" and Nuclear-energy policy, a
ministry decision switched the future TGV from now costly gas-turbine to
full electric energy in 1974. Because of this new orientation, an
electric railcar is heavily tuned for testings at very high speeds.
Named
Zébulon, it reached 306 km/h, and, among other, allowed the creation
of pantographs sustaining over 300 km/h.[11]
The TGV : the first service above 250 km/h
After intensive tests with the gas-turbine "TGV 001" prototype, and
the electric "Zébulon", in 1977, the SNCF placed an order to the group
Alsthom-Francorail-MTE
for 87
TGV Sud-Est trainsets.[11]
This definitive train reuse the "TGV 001" concept, with an undividable
set of 8 cars, sharing "Jakobs
bogies", and hauled by 2 electric power-cars at each end.
In 1981, the first section of the new
Paris-Lyon High-Speed line is inaugurated, with a 260 km/h top speed
(then 270 km/h soon after).
A new
step in high-speed rail
The new service, following the great advance of the Shinkansen, is
another step in High-Speed rail.
With a far greater top speed, a new totals dedicated high-speed line,
and a complete compatibility with existing old network, the TGV offers
the ability to join every cities in the country, using alternatively
standard and high-speed line, in a shorter time than ever.
After the introduction of the TGV on some routes, air traffic on these
routes decreased, or even disappeared.
Equally, the TGV marked the history by its multiples very mediatised
speed records : in 1981 with a record at 380 km/h, in 1990 at 515
km/h, and then in 2007 at 574 km/h.
Rise of high speed in Europe and USA
Europe
Following the French TGV, Germany was the second country in the World
to inaugurate a modern very High-Speed rail service, with the launch of
the InterCity Express (ICE), on the new
Hannover-Würzburg High Speed Line, with a top speed of 280 km/h. The
German ICE was a set like the TGV, with dedicated streamlined motor cars
at both ends, and a variable number of trailers between them. Unlike the
TGV, the trailers had classically two bogies and can be de-accoupled,
allowing the train to be stretched or reduced. This introduction in the
result of ten years of studies with the ICE-V prototype, who broke the
World Speed Record in 1988, reaching 406 km/h.
At its turn, the Spain’s first high speed line opened in 1992 between
Madrid and Seville.
USA
As early as 1993, in USA, regarding the successes of high-speed rail
in Europe, and in an attempt to develop trains service upon airlines
services,
Amtrak began studying a high-speed service in the
Northeast Corridor, linking
Boston,
New
York,
Philadelphia,
Baltimore, and
Washington DC. Some existing trains (Swedish X 2000, German ICE 1,
Spanish Talgo) were tested, but finally, a new train was ordered,
derived from the TGV and the LRC, and built by
Alstom
and
Bombardier. The new service was named "Acela
Express" and unveiled in 1999.
Unlike other high-speed rail, the Acela lacked dedicated lines, and
ran on classic lines partially fitted out, with a relatively low maximum
speed of 240 km/h, and only on very small sections. For the same reason,
the train was able to tilt in curves, to maintain an acceptable speed.
The service was inaugurated in December 2000, and was an immediate
success. As of 2010, it is one of the few Amtrak lines to operate at a
profit.
The
first High-Speed disaster
In 1998, after over thirty years of high speed rail operations in the
world without fatal accidents, the
Eschede disaster occurred: a poorly designed German ICE 1 wheel
broke at 200 km/h near Eschede, resulting in the derailment and
destruction of the full set of 16 cars.
Expansion in
East Asia
The South Korean
KTX
For several decades the Japanese
Shinkansen was the only high speed rail service outside of Europe.
In the 2000s a number of new high speed rail services started operating
in East Asia.
In
South Korea,
Korea Train Express (KTX) services were launched on 1 April 2004, on
the Seoul-Busan corridor, which is Korea's main traffic corridor.
In 1982, it represented 65.8% of South Korea's population, a number that
grew to 73.3% by 1995, along with 70% of freight traffic and 66% of
passenger traffic. With both the
Gyeongbu Expressway and
Korail's
Gyeongbu Line congested as of the late 1970s, the government saw the
pressing need for another form of transportation.
After missing forecasts and running deficits in the first year, KTX
increased ridership and market share, transporting over 100,000
passengers daily and making a profit for Korail since 2007. The system's
technology is largely based on the French
TGV/LGV
system, but domestic development based on transferred technology began
early.[19]
The Chinese CRH
The CRH3, derived from German ICE
State planning for
China high speed railway began in the early 1990s, and the country
started construction of its first high speed rail line, the
Qinhuangdao–Shenyang Passenger Railway, in 1999, which subsequently
opened in 2003 with a design speed of 200 km/h.
The original goal of the Chinese Ministry of Railways (MOR) was to
research and develop domestic technology to reach a world standard. The
new high speed rail line was used to test several Chinese developed
prototypes.
Although they where successful at creating a train set that operated at
300 km/h, the trains performed poorly in regular service. Realizing that
domestic high speed technology is not sufficiently developed, MOR
acquired high speed trains from French, German, and Japanese
manufactures and used technology transfers to improve its ability to
build high speed trains.
Finally in 2007 the first high speed service using foreign high speed
trains, called
China Railways Highspeed (CRH) or "和谐号" (lit. Harmony) was
introduced.
In 2008, the China opened the "Wuhan – Guangzhou" high-speed line at
350 km/h, the first at that speed. Until july 2011, and the Wenzhou
disaster followed by lowering of maximum speed, it was the fastest line
in the World.
As of 2011, China has the world’s longest high-speed rail network
with about 8,358 km of routes and is still aggressively expanding to
create the 4+4 National High Speed Rail Grid by 2015.[20]
On 25 December 2012, China opened the world's longest high-speed rail
line, which runs 2,100 kilometers (1,300 miles) from the country's
capital in the north to
Guangzhou.[21]
Taiwan
The Taiwanese THSR, derived from Shinkansen
Taiwan’s
first and only HSR line opened for service on 5 January 2007, using
Japanese trains with a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph). operated by
Taiwan High Speed Rail, the service offers journey times from Taipei
to Kaohsiung in as short as 96 minutes. Once THSR began operations,
almost all passengers switched from airlines flying parallel routes[22]
while road traffic was also impacted.[23]
The Wenzhou
disaster
Following the
Eschede train disaster, 12 years later, on 23 July 2011, a Chinese
CRH2 traveling at 250 km/h hits a CRH1 stoppedon a viaduct in the
suburbs of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China. The two trains derailed
each other, and four cars fell off the viaduct.
The disaster led to a number of changes in management and
exploitation of high-speed rail in China. One of the major changes was
the lowering by 50 km/h of all maximum speed in China HST, the 350
becoming 300 km/h, 250 to 200, 200 to 160.
Network
Maps
Operational high-speed lines in Europe
Operational high-speed lines in East Asia
310–320 km/h (193–199 mph)
270–300 km/h (168–186 mph)
250 km/h (155 mph)
200–230 km/h (124–143 mph)
Under construction
Other railways
Technologies
High-speed line on a viaduct to avoid ramp and road-crossing
A typical high-speed line, straight with ballast and
sleepers. This one, the LGV-Est is used at 320 km/h
A German high-speed line, with tracks directly on concrete
tiles.
A German high-speed line being built along an highways
Dedicated tracks
As defined by Europe and UIC, generally the high-speed rail is a set
including a high-speed rolling-stock and a dedicated high-speed line.
Japan was the first nation to build a totally new and dedicated lines
and network for its Shinkansen. It was followed by France, then Germany,
Spain, etc.
Most today countries with high-speed rail have dedicated high-speed
tracks. Notable exceptions are USA and Russia.
In certain cases, in particular in England for the 1970's HST and in
China recently, classic old lines are upgraded to support new
high-speed, often up to 200 km/h.
For unconventional trains, such as Aérotrains and Maglev, the use of
viaducts dedicated tracks is implicit.
Tracks design
Continuous welded rail is generally used to reduces track vibrations
and misalignment.
Almost all high-speed line is electrically driven via overhead lines,
have
in-cab signalling, and use advanced switches using very low entry
and frog angles.
Constrictions such as at-grade crossings where lines intersect other
lines and/or roadways are eliminated.
For this purpose, Japan and China typically build their high-speed lines
on elevated viaducts, allowing high-speed with safety and and lower
cost.
High-speed line also avoid curves and reverse curves.
Curve radius is typically above 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi), and for lines
capable of 350 km/h (217 mph) running, typically at 7 to 9 kilometres
(4.3 to 5.6 mi).
The line may rest on traditional sleeper and ballast (such as French
high-speed lines and derived), or on concrete tiles (such as German and
Chinese high-speed lines).
To avoid any obstacle, trees are suppressed in a large area around
the line, and fences prevent animal or human to walk across the tracks.
Road-rail
parallel layout
Road Rail Parallel Layout uses land beside highways for railway
lines. Examples include Paris/Lyon and
Köln - Frankfurt in which 15% and 70% of the track runs beside
highways, respectively.[24]
Tracks sharing
High-speed lines may be exclusive or open to standard speed trains.
- In Japan, high-speed Shinkansen lines use standard gauge track
rather than the narrow gauge track used on most other Japanese
lines.
- In France, high-speed lines use standard gauge like the rest of
the network, but are used only by passenger TGV, and by the Postal
TGV.
- In Germany, high-speed lines are shared between ICE,
international high speed trains, regional trains and freight trains.
- In China, high-speed lines at speeds between 200 and 250 km/h
(124 and 155 mph) may carry freight or passengers.,
Lines operating at speeds of 300 km/h (186 mph) are used only by
passenger CRH trains.[25]
Construction costs
Japanese systems are often more expensive than their counterparts,
because they run on dedicated elevated guideways, avoid traffic
crossings and incorporate disaster monitoring systems. The largest part
of Japan's cost is for boring tunnels through mountains, as was also
true in
Taiwan.
In France, the cost of construction (which was €10 million/km
(US$15.1 million/km) for
LGV Est)
is minimized by adopting steeper grades rather than building tunnels and
viaducts. However, in mountainous Switzerland, tunnels are inevitable.
Because the lines are dedicated to passengers, gradients of 3.5%, rather
than the previous maximum of 1–1.5% for mixed traffic, are used. More
expensive land may be required in order to minimize curves. This
increases speed, reduces construction costs and lowers operating and
maintenance costs. In other countries high-speed rail was built without
those economies so that the railway can also support other traffic, such
as freight.
Experience has shown however, that running trains of significantly
different speeds on one line substantially decreases capacity. As a
result, mixed-traffic lines usually reserve daytime for high-speed
trains and run freight at night. In some cases, night-time high-speed
trains are diverted to lower speed lines in favour of freight traffic.[citation
needed]
Rolling Stock
-
Multiple world-speed-record holder, the French
TGV
family
-
The German
ICE 3 high-speed electric multiple unit
-
-
-
The Chinese
CRH380A, recently developed for very high speeds
-
-
Taiwan's Japanese-built 300 km/h operating, 315 km/h capable
during test run
700T series train
-
-
The Korean
KTX Sancheon, the second generation of
KTX trains. This train can accelerate to 330 km/h
(205 mph).
-
Train engineering
Key technologies include tilting trainsets, aerodynamic designs (to
reduce drag, lift, and noise),
air brakes,
regenerative braking, engine technology and
dynamic weight shifting.
Some[which?]
of the advances addressed problems, such as the
Eschede disaster.
Advantages
The initial impetus for the introduction of high speed rail was the
need for additional capacity to meet increasing demand for passenger
rail travel. Urban density and mass transit have been key factors in the
success of European and Japanese railway transport, especially in
countries such as Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland,
Spain and France.
Energy Efficiency
Travel by rail is more competitive in areas of higher population
density or where gasoline is expensive, because conventional trains are
more fuel-efficient than cars when ridership is high, similar to other
forms of mass transit. Very few high-speed trains consume
diesel or other
fossil fuels but the power stations that provide electric trains
with power can consume fossil fuels. In Japan and France, with very
extensive high speed rail networks, a large proportion of electricity
comes from
nuclear power.[27]
On the Eurostar, which primarily runs off the French grid, emissions
from travelling by train from London to Paris are 90% lower than by
flying.[28]
Even using electricity generated from coal or oil, high speed trains are
significantly more fuel-efficient per passenger per kilometer traveled
than the typical automobile because of
economies of scale in generator technology.[29]
Rail networks, like highways, require large fixed capital investments
and thus require a blend of high density and government investment to be
competitive against existing capital infrastructure.[citation
needed]
Safety
HSR is much simpler to control due to its predictable course.
High-speed rail systems reduce (but do not eliminate)[30][31]
collisions with automobiles or people, when using non-grade level track.
Comparison with other modes of transport
HSR, like any transport system, is not inherently convenient, fast,
clean, or comfortable. All of this depends on design, implementation,
maintenance, operation and funding. Operational smoothness is often more
indicative of organizational discipline than technological prowess.
Existing infrastructure constrains the growth of the highway and air
travel systems. When other modes cannot expand, HSR may possibly provide
a feasible alternative. For example, a double-decked
E4 Series Shinkansen can carry 1,634 seated passengers, double the
capacity of an
Airbus A380 (world's largest passenger plane) in economy class, and
more if standing passengers are allowed. HSR systems are more
environmentally friendly than air or road travel, given their higher
fuel efficiency per passenger-kilometer and reduced land use.
Optimal distance
While commercial high-speed trains have lower maximum speeds than jet
aircraft, they offer shorter total trip times than air travel for short
distances. They typically connect city centre rail stations to each
other, while air transport connects airports that are far from city
centres.
HSR is best suited for journeys of 2 to 3 hours (about 250–900 km or
160–560 mi), for which the train can beat air and car trip time. For
trips under about 650 km (400 mi), the process of checking in and going
through security screening at airports, as well as traveling to and from
the airport, makes the total air journey time no faster than HSR.
European authorities treat HSR as competitive with passenger air for
trips under 4 to 4½ hours.[32]
If the train stops at an airport then combining a short HSR ride with a
long airplane ride can reduce total trip time over flying on both legs.
Airplane tickets can include a train segment, including rebooking missed
connections.
Part of HSR's edge can be ticket prices. As an example, in 2009 the
520 km (320 mi) flight from Nanjing to Wuhan cost 730 yuan, while bullet
trains beginning service that year offered second-class tickets for 180
yuan.[33]
HSR offers greater convenience for medium-distance journeys. HSR does
not require baggage to be checked, does not require queuing for
check-in, security and boarding, and is rarely delayed by inclement
weather. HSR has more amenities, such as continuous mobile
phone/Internet connectivity, larger tables, 120/220/12 volt power
outlets and superior food service.
HSR eliminated air transport from between city pairs including
Paris-Brussels, Cologne-Frankfurt, Nanjing-Wuhan, Chongqing-Chengdu,[33]
Tokyo-Nagoya, Tokyo-Sendai and Tokyo-Niigata. China Southern Airlines,
China's largest airline, expects the construction of China's high speed
railway network to impact 25% of its route network in the coming years.[34]
Market shares
European data indicate that air traffic is more sensitive than road
traffic (car and bus) to competition from HSR, at least on journeys of
400 km and more – perhaps because cars and buses are far more flexible
than planes. TGV Sud-Est reduced the travel time Paris–Lyon from almost
four to about two hours. Market share rose from 49 to 72%. Air and road
market shares shrunk from 31 to 7% and from 29 to 21%, respectively. On
the Madrid–Sevilla link, the AVE connection increased share from 16 to
52%; air traffic shrunk from 40 to 13%; road traffic from 44 to 36%,
hence the rail market amounted to 80% of combined rail and air traffic.[35]
This figure increased to 89% in 2009, according to Spanish rail operator
RENFE.[36]
According to Peter Jorritsma, the rail market share s, as
compared to planes, can be computed approximately as a function of the
travelling time in minutes t by the formula[37]
-
According to this formula, a journey time of three hours yields 65%
market share. However, market shares are also influenced by ticket
prices. Some air carriers regained market shares by slashing prices.[38]
In the US
Northeast Corridor, the rail market share at 47% between New York
and Washington is lower than the formula indicates, even though the
journey time is only about 2h 45min.
Automobile and
Buses
High-speed rail can accommodate more passengers at far higher speeds
than automobiles.
Generally, the longer the journey, the better the time advantage of
rail over road if going to the same destination. However, HSR can be
competitive with cars on shorter distances, 50–150 kilometres
(30–90 mi), for example for commuting, given road congestion or
expensive parking fees.
Moreover, typical passenger rail carries 2.83 times as many
passengers per hour per meter (width) as a road. A typical capacity is
the
Eurostar, which runs 15 trains per hour[dubious
–
discuss] and 800 passengers per train, totaling
12,000 passengers per hour in each direction. By contrast, the
Highway Capacity Manual gives a maximum capacity of 2,250 passenger
cars per hour per lane, excluding other vehicles. Assuming an average
vehicle occupancy of 1.57 people.[39]
A standard twin track railway has a typical capacity 13% greater than a
6-lane highway (3 lanes each way)[citation
needed], while requiring only 40% of the land
(1.0/3.0 versus 2.5/7.5 hectares per kilometer of direct/indirect land
consumption)[citation
needed]. The Tokaido Shinkansen line in Japan, has
a much higher ratio (with as many as 20,000 passengers per hour per
direction). Similarly commuter roads tend to carry fewer than 1.57
persons per vehicle (Washington State Department of Transportation, for
instance, uses 1.2 persons per vehicle) during commute times.
Advantages
over airplanes
Although air travel has higher speeds, more time is needed for
taxiing, boarding (fewer doors), security check, luggage drop, and
ticket check. Also rail stations are usually located nearer to urban
centers than airports. These factors often offset the speed advantage of
air travel for mid-distance trips.
Rail travel has less weather dependency than air travel. If the rail
system is well-designed and well-operated, severe weather conditions
such as heavy snow, heavy fog, and storms do not affect the journeys;
whereas flights are generally canceled or delayed under these
conditions. Nevertheless, snow, wind and flooding can delay trains.
Although comfort over air travel is often believed to be a trait of
high speed rail because train seats are larger and it is easy for
passengers to move around during the journey, the comfort advantage of
rail is not inherent; it depends on the specific implementation. For
example, high speed trains which are not subject to compulsory
reservation may carry some standing passengers. Airplanes do not allow
standing passengers, so excess passengers are denied boarding. Train
passengers can have the choice between standing or waiting for a
bookable connection.
A single train can accommodate multiple itineraries. Matching that
flexibility with a plane requires intermediate stops that drastically
increase air travel times relative to HSR.
Maximum speed
See Records in trial runs in appendix
V150 train, modified
TGV,
conventional World speed record holder (574.8 km/h,
357.2 mph)
Records nourish the pride of nations, and high-speed rail is not
exception to the rule. There is an open competition between countries to
obtains and hold any records, such as maximum speed, operating speed,
longest network, etc. Some nations can even use high-speed rail for
their propaganda.
There are many "maximum speed" cases :
- The maximum speed at which a train is allowed to run by law or
policy in daily service (MOR)
- The maximum speed at which an unmodified train is proved to be
capable of running.
- The maximum speed a specially modified train is proved to be
capable of running.
Maximum speed and Operated speed
It appears there is often discordance between claimed maximum speed
and real operated speed. For example, the German ICE 3 is authorized for
330 km/h, while there is no high-speed line at this speed in Germany,
nor in Europe (the ICE 3 runs at 320 km/h on French high-speed lines).
Indeed, the maximum speed is often limited by the high-speed line,
safety and cost considerations, rather by the performances of the
rolling stock.
There is also a commercial aspect : currently, manufacturers announce
very high maximum speed that are never used. So, in China, many trains
are theoretically authorized at 350 km/h and even 380 km/h, but runs
only at 300 km/h. The last
Alsthom AGV and
Bombardier Zefiro are also announced for 360 and 380 km/h, but will
only run at 300 km/h.
Absolute Speed
record
The speeds reached by TGV and Maglev are not necessarily suitable for
passenger operations as there are concerns such as noise, costs,
deceleration time in an emergency, wear and tear, etc.
Conventional rail
Since the 1955 record, France has nearly continuously held the
absolute world speed record.
The last record is hold by
SNCF
TGV POS
trainset, reaching 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) in 2007, on the new "LGV-Est"
high-speed line. This run was for proof of concept and engineering, not
to test normal passenger service.
Unlike the unconventional records, the TGV records have been made by
heavily tuned trains, but that are really operational and in commercial
service.
Unconventional
rail
Speed record for experimental unconventional passenger train was set
by the manned "magnetic-levitation" train
JR-Maglev MLX01 at 581 km/h (361 mph) in 2003.
The record for railed vehicles is 10,325 km/h (6,416 mph) by an
unmanned
rocket sled by the
United States Air Force.
Maximum
speed in service
Conventional rail
From mid 2011, the fastest operating conventional trains are the
French
TGV POS and German
ICE 3
with a commercial maximum speed of 320 km/h (199 mph) on some French
high-speed line.
In Spain,
on the
Madrid–Barcelona HSL, maximum speed is 310 km/h.
Since July 2011, in
China,
the maximum speed is officially 300 km/h, but a 10 km/h tolerance is
accepted, and trains often reach 310 km/h.
Before that, from August 2008 to July 2011,
China Railway High-speed trains hold the highest commercial
operating speed record with 350 km/h (217 mph) on some lines (Beijing–Tianjin
Intercity Railway,
Wuhan–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway). Due to high costs and safety
concerns the top speeds in China were reduced to 300 km/h (186 mph) on 1
July 2011.[40]
Unconventional
rail
The
Shanghai Maglev Train reaches 431 km/h (268 mph) during its daily
service on its 30 km (19 mi) dedicated line, holding the speed record
for commercial train service.
Appendices
Records in
trial runs
Legend : [Official World Speed record] -
[unconventional train] -
[New entrant in HST]
| 1955 |
 France |
BB 9004 |
331 km/h (206 mph) |
First record over 300 km/h. |
| 1963 |
 Japan |
Shinkansen |
256 km/h (159 mph) |
First country to develop HSR technology |
| 1967 |
France |
TGV 001 |
318 km/h (198 mph) |
Second country to develop HSR technology.
Current record for gas-turbine powered train. |
| 1972 |
Japan |
Shinkansen |
286 km/h (178 mph) |
|
| 1974 |
France |
Aérotrain |
430.2 km/h (267.3 mph) |
High speed monorail hovercraft train |
| 1975 |
 Soviet
Union |
ER200 |
210 km/h (130 mph) |
High speed EMU |
| 1978 |
Japan |
HSST-01 |
307.8 km/h (191.3 mph) |
Auxiliary rocket propulsion |
| 1978 |
Japan |
HSST-02 |
110 km/h (68 mph) |
|
| 1979 |
Japan |
Shinkansen |
319 km/h (198 mph) |
|
| 1981 |
France |
TGV |
380 km/h (240 mph) |
|
| 1985 |
 West
Germany |
InterCityExperimental |
324 km/h (201 mph) |
Third country to develop HSR technology |
| 1987 |
Japan |
MLU001 (manned) |
400.8 km/h (249.0 mph) |
Magnetic levitation train |
| 1988 |
West
Germany |
InterCityExperimental |
406 km/h (252 mph) |
|
| 1988 |
 Italy |
ETR 500-X |
319 km/h (198 mph) |
Fourth country to develop HSR technology |
| 1988 |
West
Germany |
TR-06 |
412.6 km/h (256.4 mph) |
|
| 1989 |
West
Germany |
TR-07 |
436 km/h (271 mph) |
|
| 1990 |
France |
TGV |
515.3 km/h (320.2 mph) |
|
| 1992 |
Japan |
Shinkansen |
350 km/h (220 mph) |
|
| 1993 |
Japan |
Shinkansen |
425 km/h (264 mph) |
|
| 1993 |
Germany |
TR-07 |
450 km/h (280 mph) |
Magnetic levitation train |
| 1994 |
Japan |
MLU002N |
431 km/h (268 mph) |
Magnetic levitation train |
| 1996 |
Japan |
Shinkansen 500 |
446 km/h (277 mph) |
|
| 1999 |
Japan |
MLX01 |
552 km/h (343 mph) |
Magnetic levitation train |
| 2002 |
 Spain |
AVE S-102 (Talgo
350) |
362 km/h (225 mph) |
Fifth country to develop HSR technology |
| 2002 |
 China |
China Star |
321 km/h (199 mph) |
Sixth country to develop HSR technology |
| 2003 |
China |
Siemens
Transrapid 08 |
501 km/h (311 mph) |
|
| 2003 |
Japan |
MLX01 |
581 km/h (361 mph) |
Current world record holder for unconventional train |
| 2004 |
 South
Korea |
HSR-350x |
352.4 km/h (219.0 mph) |
Seventh country to develop HSR technology |
| 2006 |
Spain |
AVE S-103 (Siemens
Velaro) |
404 km/h (251 mph) |
Unmodified commercial trainset |
| 2007 |
France |
V150 |
574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) |
Current world record holder on conventional rails. |
| 2007 |
 Taiwan |
700T series train |
350 km/h (220 mph) |
|
| 2010 |
China |
CRH380AL |
486.1 km/h (302.0 mph) |
Claimed as world record holder for unmodified commercial
trainset |
| 2011 |
China |
CRH380BL |
487.3 km/h (302.8 mph) |
Modified commercial trainset |
| 2012 |
South
Korea |
HEMU-430X |
401.4 km/h (249.4 mph) |
|
Chronology
Speed - Record : Official World Speed Record (for wheeled
conventional train).
Speed - Operated : Maximum operated speed at that date (for wheeled
conventional train).
Speed record
Rise of commercial speed
High-speed related disaster
| Record |
Operated |
| 1804 |
 UK |
8 km/h |
- |
The world's first railway steam locomotive runs at 8 km/h
(5.0 mph). |
| 1830 |
UK |
45 km/h |
- |
Stephenson's Rocket, first modern locomotive, reaches
45 km/h (28 mph). |
| 1895 |
UK |
108 km/h |
- |
Average speed of 108 km/h (67 mph) between Crewe and
Carlisle, by the
LNWR Improved Precedent Class |
| 1903 |
Germany |
210 km/h |
- |
An electric multiple unit "AEG
Drehstrom-Triebwagen" prototype reaches 210.2 km/h
(130.6 mph) during an experimental test trip. |
| 1931 |
Germany |
230 km/h |
- |
The propeller-propelled "Schienenzeppelin"
reaches 230.2 km/h (143.0 mph) on the Berlin - Hamburg line
during a test. |
| 1933 |
Germany |
- |
160 km/h |
The conventional train diesel-powered "Fliegender
Hamburger" establishes the fastest regular service in the
world, reaching 160 km/h (99 mph) during its journey, between
Berlin and Hamburg. |
| 1937 |
Italy |
- |
160 km/h |
The electric multiple unit "ETR
200" designed for 200 km/h, begin its commercial service at
160 km/h between Bologna and Naples |
| 1954 |
France |
243 km/h |
160 km/h |
Conventional wheeled absolute world speed record : the
unmodified "Alstom CC 7121" hauling a complete train, reach
243 km/h (151 mph) between Dijon and Beaune. |
| 1955 |
France |
331 km/h |
160 km/h |
Conventional wheeled absolute world speed record : the "BB
9004" prototype pulling 3 cars reach 331 km/h (206 mph) on the
Dax - Bordeaux classic line. |
| 1959 |
Japan |
- |
160 km/h |
Beginning of the construction work of the Shinkansen Tōkaidō
first part, between Tōkyō and Ōsaka. |
| 1964 |
Japan |
- |
210 km/h |
Inauguration of the
Shinkansen Tōkaidō high speed line, for the beginning of
Tōkyō's Olympics, with a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph). |
| 1965 |
France |
- |
210 km/h |
The first unconventional hovertrain "Aérotrain"
prototype is built. |
| 1965 |
Germany |
- |
210 km/h |
During the International Transport Fair in Munich, a train
hauled by a "DB Class 103" makes a demonstration trip at
200 km/h (120 mph) between Munich and Augsburg. |
| 1967 |
France |
- |
210 km/h |
Launch of the first commercial service at 200 km/h (120 mph)
by a standard train hauled by the SNCF "BB 9200", on the
Paris-Toulouse national line. |
| 1969 |
France |
- |
210 km/h |
The Aerotrain 02 prototype reaches 422 km/h on its
experimental track. |
| 1969 |
Italy |
- |
210 km/h |
The construction work of the first European high-speed line,
the Direttissima, begins between Roma and Florence. |
| 1971 |
Germany |
- |
210 km/h |
One of the first maglev trains, the
Transrapid 02, reach 164 km/h (102 mph). |
| 1971 |
France |
- |
210 km/h |
The first TGV 001 prototype is built, powered by two
airplane gas turbines, and runs up to 318 km/h (198 mph). |
| 1973 |
|
- |
210 km/h |
Oil shock, with increasing oil prices. This will be a key
for future electric high-speed rail. |
| 1973 |
UK |
- |
210 km/h |
The unconventional hovercraft "RTV
31" prototype, reaches 167 km/h (104 mph) on a 1 mile
experimental track. |
| 1974 |
France |
- |
210 km/h |
The jet powered
Aérotrain I80 HV prototype holds the world speed record for
unconventional trains, with a top speed of 430.2 km/h
(267.3 mph) during a test trip. |
| 1977 |
Italy |
- |
210 km/h |
Inauguration of the first European high-speed line, the
"Florence–Rome" HSL "Direttissima",
designed of 250 km/h (160 mph) and ready to use at 220 km/h
(140 mph) |
| 1977 |
Germany |
- |
210 km/h |
Raising of the speed to 200 km/h (120 mph) in Germany, on
the Munich-Augsburg line. |
| 1979 |
Japan |
- |
210 km/h |
The experimental unconventional maglev train "JR-Maglev
ML-500R" reach 517 km/h (321 mph) on Miyazaki Maglev Test Track. |
| 1981 |
France |
380 km/h |
210 km/h |
Absolute world speed record record for a "TGV
PSE" on the new "LGV
Sud-Est" high-speed line, at380 km/h (240 mph) |
| 1981 |
France |
- |
260 km/h |
Inauguration of the "LGV Paris-Sud-Est" high-speed line
between Paris and Lyon, with a top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). |
| 1982 |
France |
- |
270 km/h |
Raising of maximum speed of "LGV Sud-Est" to 270 km/h
(170 mph). |
| 1984 |
Japan |
- |
270 km/h |
Raising of maximum speed of
Shinkansen to 230 km/h (140 mph) for "100 serie". |
| 1988 |
Germany |
406 km/h |
270 km/h |
Absolute world speed record Record for the DB "ICE-V"
prototype reaching 406.9 km/h (252.8 mph) on the new "Hanover –
Würtzburg" high-speed line. |
| 1989 |
Italy |
- |
270 km/h |
Introduction of the
Pendolino in commercial service between Rome and Milan,
reaching 250 km/h (160 mph). |
| 1989 |
Japan |
- |
270 km/h |
Raising of maximum speed of Shinkansen to 270 km/h (170 mph)
for "300 serie". |
| 1989 |
France |
- |
300 km/h |
Inauguration of the "LGV Atlantique" high-speed line, first
line at 300 km/h (190 mph) in the world. |
| 1990 |
France |
515 km/h |
300 km/h |
Absolute world speed record by a tuned "TGV Atlantique",
with a top speed of 515.3 km/h (320.2 mph) on the new "LGV
Atlantique" |
| 1991 |
Germany |
- |
300 km/h |
Inauguration of the first German high-speed service, the
Intercity-Express on the
Hanover-Würtzburg HSL, with a top speed of 280 km/h
(170 mph). |
| 1994 |
|
- |
300 km/h |
Inauguration of the
Channel Tunnel, between UK and France, and used by
Eurostar TGV. |
| 1994 |
Spain |
- |
300 km/h |
The AVE high-speed rail service begins operation at 300 km/h
(190 mph) on the new Madrid–Seville high-speed line. |
| 1995 |
Japan |
- |
300 km/h |
Raising of maximum speed of the
Shinkansen to 300 km/h (190 mph) for the "500 serie". |
| 1998 |
Germany |
- |
300 km/h |
Eschede train disaster |
| 2000 |
 USA |
- |
300 km/h |
The first high-speed rail service in USA, the
Acela Express begins its operation between Boston,
Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., reaching 240 km/h (150 mph) |
| 2003 |
Japan |
- |
300 km/h |
The experimental unconventional maglev "JR-Maglev
MLX01" sets an absolute world speed record at 581 km/h
(361 mph). |
| 2004 |
China |
- |
300 km/h |
Inauguration of the first commercial maglev line, the
Shanghai Maglev Train. |
| 2006 |
Germany |
- |
300 km/h |
Lathen train collision when a
Transrapid maglev train collided with a maintenance vehicle |
| 2007 |
France |
574 km/h |
300 km/h |
Absolute world speed record by a tuned "TGV
POS", with a top speed of 574.8 km/h (357.2 mph) on the new
"LGV Est" high-speed line |
| 2007 |
France |
- |
320 km/h |
Inauguration of the "LGV Est" high-speed line, first line at
320 km/h (200 mph), and current fastest line in the World. |
| 2008 |
China |
- |
350 km/h |
Opening of the "Wuhan – Guangzhou" high speed line, first
line at 350 km/h (220 mph) (during 3 years) |
| 2011 |
China |
- |
320 km/h |
Wenzhou disaster, lowering to 300 km/h (190 mph) of maximum
speed in China. |
| 2012 |
China |
- |
320 km/h |
Opening of the longest high-speed line, from
Beijing to
Guangzhou, with 2298 kilometers (1,428 miles)[3] |
See also