Saturday, January 15, 2011

Fastest trains in the world

There are trains which are the fastest. Some of them are noted because they are the largest. Some trains do not fall into any of these categories but are known to carry the largest number of passengers. Newer versions of such super fast trains have started making their appearance around the length and breadth of several countries. They have made travel faster and easier for human beings. The following is the list of the fastest trains in the world!

1. CRH2 of China
The CRH2 is a modified E 2-1000 series Shinkansen design and is one among the fastest train models in China. It is also the second Shinkansen model of train that was exported. The other one was the 700T series.

2. THSR – Taiwan
The Taiwan High Speed Rail is roughly 335.50 kms and runs along the west coast of Taiwan. It runs to Kaohsiung city from Taipei City and is said to have started its operation on January 5, 2007.

3. KTX – Korea
South Korea’s high-speed rail system, the Korea Train eXpress (KTX) is operated by Korail. It has a high speed of 350km/hr and its technology is based on the French TGV system. Its speed can be limited to 300 km/h for safety during normal service. This super fast train reached a great speed of 352.4 kms per hour on December 16, 2004.

4. Shinkanzen – Japan
A network of super fast trains connects Honshu in Japan with other major cities. It also connects Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu and Tokyo. The super fast trains of Japan are known as shinkansen. These trains of bullet types are run by Japan Railways.

5. Ave – Spain
AVE is an abbreviation for Alta Velocidad EspaƱola meaning High Speed. It can also imply bird in Spanish. Ave is a network of high speed trains that operate at speeds of up to 300 km/h and connects all important towns and cities in Spain.

6. Eurostar – UK
A high speed train service in Western Europe, Eurostar connects London and Kent in the United Kingdom, with Brussels in Belgium and Paris and Lille in France. There are also seasonal trains to France and limited services to Disneyland Resort Paris.

7. TGV- France
A high speed train service of France, the TGV rail service was developed by the French national rail operator, SNCF and GEC-Alsthom (now Alstom). The TGV rail network connects Paris with other important cities of France and also nearby countries.

8. MLX01 – Japan
This is an older version of the maglev Shinkansen and it ran at a speed of 320 mph (515 km/h) in 1990. This was a fastest train in Japan during the 1990’s.


9. TR-07 – Germany
The TR-07 was a German maglev train which ran from Hamburg reaching a speed of 270.3 mph in 1989. Its noise level was very much reduced owing to the engine design. Transrapid is a German monorail which is presently amongst the quickest of all the trains in the world. It is run by magnetic levitation. During its trial, the train was able to reach speed upto 450 km/hour. The newer and latest versions even reach a speed of over 500 km/hour.

10. MLU001 – Japan
The MLU001 was a Japanese Maglev Train which ran at a speed of 248.9 mph (400.4 km/h) in 1987. This marked the way for other super fast trains that made its appearance in the 1990’s and 2000’s.

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