And the essential thing here is that they've introduced new technology and pushed the envelope a bit. And about the French: while they are doing a great job with their TGV:s, and I definitely wouldn't belittle their achievement in getting that speed record, we have to remember that it was a one-off stunt with a specially modified train - the improvements we see from the Japanese here are measured from actual train in regular passenger service, on the maiden voyage it carried 1300(!) passengers.
For comparison, while the experimental TGV managed 357 mph top speed, their fastest scheduled service (Lyon - Aix-en-Provence) reached a record in 2005, running at an average speed of 163 mph and reaching a top speed of 198 mph.
BTW, still waiting for the Americans to get on board the train of fast trains....
First we need to get on board the idea of "trains" to begin with. I took the "Amtrak" from Portland to Seattle once, a 3.5 hour trip on the freeway. I can't remember how long it took, but I do remember that the train arrived over two hours late.
The universe falls apart in Japan if a train is so much as two minutes late.
TH: it's gonna take a while for America to catch on.
Between GM/oil ripping up tracks, a general opinion that riding the train (and mass transit) as ghetto and only for the low income, conservatives such as in Orange County consider it a money pit and actively fight against it and anything else that pulls them from their precious cars, it's gonna take a while for civilization to come.
They rather circle for 10s of minutes to find parking at those huge shopping malls/stadiums/etc where half the land is just for parking, spend up to 10% of their work hours crawling through traffic in their shiny luxury cars and more just to get through a major concert/game, and build up a lot of bulk from all that luxurious lack of walking.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:08AM
5 minute increments add up.
TH @ Jul 3rd 2007 9:35AM
Paul's right, it adds up.
And the essential thing here is that they've introduced new technology and pushed the envelope a bit. And about the French: while they are doing a great job with their TGV:s, and I definitely wouldn't belittle their achievement in getting that speed record, we have to remember that it was a one-off stunt with a specially modified train - the improvements we see from the Japanese here are measured from actual train in regular passenger service, on the maiden voyage it carried 1300(!) passengers.
For comparison, while the experimental TGV managed 357 mph top speed, their fastest scheduled service (Lyon - Aix-en-Provence) reached a record in 2005, running at an average speed of 163 mph and reaching a top speed of 198 mph.
BTW, still waiting for the Americans to get on board the train of fast trains....
cromas @ Jul 3rd 2007 10:34AM
First we need to get on board the idea of "trains" to begin with. I took the "Amtrak" from Portland to Seattle once, a 3.5 hour trip on the freeway. I can't remember how long it took, but I do remember that the train arrived over two hours late.
The universe falls apart in Japan if a train is so much as two minutes late.
Alexis @ Jul 3rd 2007 12:45PM
Acually, commercial N700s have a maximum speed of 300 km/h. The commercial TGV's is 350 km/h.
NuShrike @ Jul 5th 2007 7:29PM
TH: it's gonna take a while for America to catch on.
Between GM/oil ripping up tracks, a general opinion that riding the train (and mass transit) as ghetto and only for the low income, conservatives such as in Orange County consider it a money pit and actively fight against it and anything else that pulls them from their precious cars, it's gonna take a while for civilization to come.
They rather circle for 10s of minutes to find parking at those huge shopping malls/stadiums/etc where half the land is just for parking, spend up to 10% of their work hours crawling through traffic in their shiny luxury cars and more just to get through a major concert/game, and build up a lot of bulk from all that luxurious lack of walking.