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Clever cameras detect drunken railway passengers in Japan
Public transportation is often the safest way to get home after an extended happy hour session -- unless you fall onto the tracks. While that doesn't seem like something that would happen very frequently, it is an issue in Japan where 221 people were hit by trains in 2013. With 60 percent of those injuries being a result of drunkenness, railway company JR West has taken steps to ensure passenger safety by equipping the Kyobashi Station with surveillance cameras.
Type N700 bullet train is Japan's fastest yet
The Type N700, a new bullet train developed by Central Japan Railway and West Japan Railway is being touted as the fastest ever, reaching speeds of up to 186mph (the previous high-water mark was 168.5mph), and making the trek from Tokyo to Osaka in about two hours and 25 minutes (a whopping 5 minutes faster than the previous model). The N700 is the first bullet train revamp since 1999's Type 700, and uses a new form of Automatic Train Control (or ATC) to govern the train's speed and stability during curves in the track. Additionally, the N700 boasts a 30% increase in acceleration, which reduces the amount of time it takes to reach its maximum speed. Truth be told, it all seems like a lot of money and trouble for an extra 5 minutes -- if these cats really wanted to step up their game, they should speak with the French.
