Author Topic: 250 mph trains (Read 1487 times)

Dowding · « **Reply #15 on:** March 12, 2006, 05:54:27 AM »

I used the German rail system when going from Berlin to Potsdam in December. Hopped on one of those double decked regional expresses - smoothest train ride I've ever taken and it was dirt cheap.

Shame British rail sucks so comprehensively. And we invented the bloody thing...

B@tfinkV · « **Reply #16 on:** March 12, 2006, 06:03:19 AM »

furball you suck.

the simpsons 'monorail' episode was so much better.

Pooface · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2006, 06:05:07 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Dowding
I used the German rail system when going from Berlin to Potsdam in December. Hopped on one of those double decked regional expresses - smoothest train ride I've ever taken and it was dirt cheap.

Shame British rail sucks so comprehensively. And we invented the bloody thing...

isnt that always the way???

we invent stuff so that we can suck at it lol

Ghosth · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2006, 06:53:59 AM »

Well Europe & japan both ahead of us on this one for 3 reasons.

Population density, combined with higher fuel costs, and fewer people owning cars.

While its a cool Idea, frankly I don't see it working here.

Over there everyone rides the train/mass transit.
I just don't see it paying off over here.

Distances are greater, and the demand is less.

Replicant · « **Reply #19 on:** March 12, 2006, 06:57:58 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Dowding
I used the German rail system when going from Berlin to Potsdam in December. Hopped on one of those double decked regional expresses - smoothest train ride I've ever taken and it was dirt cheap.

Shame British rail sucks so comprehensively. And we invented the bloody thing...

The UK tracks are terrible and I think that is the main reason why a faster train network has not been developed there. Even the Eurostar trains goes painstakingly slow whilst it is in England.

It's a shame that during the 50s and 60s many tracks were dug up with little foresight for the future. Train transport would be so useful if ran and supported correctly (and one that ran on time).

I agree that the German trains are really quiet & smooth. I live next to an electric S-Bahn station (surburban/city train) and you can't even hear it, even when you're outside you sometimes don't even hear it. Back in the UK I could hear the trains from over a mile away in the evenings (because of the crap tracks)! lol

@Gh0stFT, I haven't been on an ICE train yet, but do they all have displays in the seats like the one below or is that just 1st Class?

Saintaw · « **Reply #20 on:** March 12, 2006, 08:31:24 AM »

Mono Duh!

Sorry, too many werds fer me!

I took the Shinkansen twice in Japan, but cannot comment on it as I fell asleep twice right after getting in.

My 1 ¥

lazs2 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 12, 2006, 08:57:17 AM »

you guys missed some of the bad points...

since they will go fast enough to kill everyon on them and then some...

they will be great targets.. you will have to park half a mile from the station and then walk in so that you won't be able to make a car bomb to blow up the station.... you will have to be strip searched before you get on so be sure to get there an hour early both ways.

They stations will become slums.

your car will be stolen or vandalized while you are riding the thing.

overall with the 2 one hour waits and the walks and all... a 3 hour trip will take about 6 hours or more.... you could probly drive it in 4 for half the money.

lazs

Rolex · « **Reply #22 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:08:15 AM »

300 miles is 300 miles, no matter what country it's in.

People don't use mass transit in the US because there is no convenient ground mass transit. US regional air carriers are the mass transit for those distances.

Do people think Japanese and Europeans don't have cars?

Wide open spaces make it cheaper to get track right-of-ways. The airlines aren't making money anyway, and alternatives (and competition) will allow them to have less scheduled flights on routes that aren't money makers from decent loading now. I think some routes are place holders for market share and gating.

I really don't know enough about the airline industry to make definite statements, but maybe someone more qualified than me would know those answers.

And noise is only an issue because the US rail system is antique. Your diesel trains on old tracks make noise, but that just isn't the case with these. These trains are electric (no motor noise) and the tracks are so smooth that you can almost play pool onboard and there isn't much exterior noise - except the wind sound as they go by if you're standing a few feet away.

There hasn't been a fatal accident on a shinkansen in 40 years of operation. Not a bad safety record.

Darn lazs, why would you live in a country that was as bad as you make it out to be? Slums, stolen cars, bureaucratic nightmares...

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #23 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:12:12 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by J_A_B
Most of our railroads want nothing to do with passengers. They actively and deliberately destroyed their own passenger services back in the 60's, and fight it to this day. Even freight trains of nonperishable goods often receive higher traffic priority than Amtrak trains. Exceptions exist, especially in the northeast corridor, but generally speaking passenger rail is pretty much dead in the USA with little prospect of making a large-scale comeback.

Yes, it's a shame. The entire story of the US railroad industry since the end of WW2 has been a nonstop shame, characterized by corporate mismanagement and public antipathy. The success stories are few, and the industry is still somewhat weak overall despite an incredible number of mergers and bankruptcies.

J_A_B

You just saved me a post.

Only to add. For some strange reason. The american public also seems to have little interest in traveling by train. So its been kinda like a double whammy.

As for the railroad industry. Perhaps it has something to do with government bailouts as the government alwasy seems to be writing them yet another check to keep them afloat. I dont know.

But I bet if they did introduce those kind of trains. Particularly if they looked like that. (the train Rolex posted) The public would take notice and become interested.

We Americans do so like cool looking things.
And todays trains just look plain ugly

lazs2 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:14:12 AM »

Rolex... we aren't talking about accidents... they don't strip search you and make you get to the airport an hour early because they are afraid of "accidents".

300 miles is 300 miles but hours are allways hours. If you have to wait an hour to get on both ways and.... if you have to get to the station.... it is more than the trip itself

lazs

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:20:39 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by MrRiplEy[H]
I'm sure the people who live near the tracks just LOVE the sound it makes.

Just before I was married I literally lived a half block from a train station.
Those of you Who attended Rutgers I am sure are familiour with the proximity of "Little Albany St" to the train station in Downtown New Brunswick.

You keep the TV turned up learn to get used to it.

The Express commuter trains arent that bad as they seem to be making less noise as they zip past then the ones stopping at the station. Or the Freighters.

Never did get used to the freight trains as they always seemed to pass by right when there was something on TV you wanted to hear.

Sleep wise they never bothered me at all as I can sleep through anything

Swoop · « **Reply #26 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:24:43 AM »

Aston Martin DB9 versus Eurostar from London to the south of France.

Rolex · « **Reply #27 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:30:20 AM »

Well lazs, I feel sorry for you. We seem to be able to get on planes faster outside the US and it only takes a few minutes to get on a bullet train. Trains don't have to climb and don't have to be vectored around waiting for their turn to land. A 200 mile trip is an hour flying time, plus another 1 1/2 hours getting to the runway and wheels up. That's 2 1/2 hours.

Same trip is about 4 hours by car.

Same trip is about 1 1/4 hours by train, with maybe 2 stops along the way. It shouldn't take you more than 20 minutes to get a ticket and get on the train. If it does, than that is just foolishness on everyone's part.

With that kind of defeatist attitude, there probably is no hope.

P.S. The 'accidents' was addressing someone else who brought it up.

lazs2 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:42:15 AM »

rolex.. the reality of one hour early arrival is not my pessimism.. it is fact. I also do not intend to live near a train station. We also have very good roads here. a 200 mile trip is normaly about 3 hours by car. I have my privacy and I have choices and... I have a vehicle when I get to where I am going.... I do not surrender my mobility and no one is strip searching me or falling assleep on my shoulder or smelling like they took a bath in perfume after not bathing for a week.

I know who has sat in the seat in my car and I can play whatever station I want.... I can even sing along if I want. If I see something interesting I can stop and look at it.

My roads will be even better too if I use the money you would use to make these gawd awfull socialist movers to fix and build new roads.

Those trains are fine for city people... blue areas are not my concern anyway. And... if they use less gas and less of my roads.... so much the better.

lazs

Swoop · « **Reply #29 on:** March 12, 2006, 09:49:17 AM »

Sheesh you two, just watch the video, it settles everything.

The Top Gear team have also raced a Ferrari against a 737 from London to Switzerland.....the Ferrari won.