The modern economy is bound by the threads of communication, and public transportation certainly forms a crucial part of it. Moreover, it is seemingly the only affordable form of ‘ride’ available to the masses, especially in the system of developing countries. On the other hand, public transportation reduces per capita carbon footprints because of its collective nature of functionality. The consumption of less fuel per person naturally means lesser level of carbon emitted in the local environment. So taking both of the serious criteria into consideration, fast modes of public transportation (like trains) are convincingly apt for both the economy and the environment.
So, without further ado, let us take a look at the 5 speediest trains (and networks) that can facilitate the public conveniently on a grand scale.
1. California Building 220 MPH High-Speed Train from San Francisco to LA
Just imagine a Utopian reverie where trains traveling at a whopping 220 mph (352 kmph) are a part of a mega transportation network that caters to 100 million passengers per year. It may seem like a figment of sci-fi fantasy, but that is exactly what is being boldly envisaged by the California High Speed Rail Authority. Though the plan may take up to 2030 to come to its full capability, the massive network-area will cover Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, Orange County and San Diego. The California state is already contemplating to pump around $9.95 billion for this arduously ambitious project.
2. Japan’s speedy, fuel efficient and low noise train
Always at the forefront of innovative technology, this time the Japanese have conceptualized an Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train (efSET) with a speed of 217 mph (347 kmph). To be built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, this conception will actually be an improved iteration of a previous built. The controls (in high speed) will be efficiently regulated by an advanced electrical system, while the speed itself will be accentuated by a fine streamlined body. Moreover, for optimum passenger comfort, the train will emit much lower noise levels during traveling.
3. China’s new Harmony high-speed train
A massive ‘blur’ carrying thousands of passengers with a speed of 415 kmph (260 mph) – now that must be China’s newest high speed bullet train, christened as Harmony. This electric monster will cater to the all important 169 km Shanghai-Hangzhou line, thus ‘speedily’ connecting a heavy industrial belt of Eastern China. And in relation to this, the Chinese government has already announced that high speed train service will cover a whopping 8000 miles across the country, by 2012.
4. World’s fastest 310mph maglev bullet train
The Japanese are not to be kept behind, as they are planning a grandiose $66 billion project that involves the service of maglev trains (between Tokyo and Nagoya) that can travel at a blistering speed of 310 mph (496 kmph). If the fascinating proposal comes to fruition, then this train will certainly overtake our previous entry by a range of 80 kmph. More importantly, the high ‘flyers’ will certainly look to the ground for their future traveling plans.
5. China’s 300 kph Bullet train
Now after highfalutin concepts, let us get back to the present reality. This time the entry is once again from China, as railway authorities there had unveiled a 300 kmph (187.5 mph) high speed bullet train, with 8 carriages and 600 passenger capacity. This train is also considered as one of the lightest in the world, with a total weight of 7 tons and body thickness of paltry 1.5 mm. Coming to passenger comfort, the interior of the public vehicle has bars and even double faced LCD in first-class compartments.
