"In
1964 the first Shinkansen, the Tokaido Line, opened between Tokyo and
Osaka, paralleling the renowned Tokaido Road that had linked Edo
(Tokyo) and Kyoto in samurai times." Here is somewhat older model:
Experimental WIN 350 train:
JR E3
JR E4
"Each
line has its own name (Tokaido, Tohoku etc.), and each type of train is
identified by a name (Nozomi, Hikari etc.). In the almost 40 years
since it opened, the Shinkansen network has carried over 6 billion
passengers without a single major accident. The Shinkansen network also
boasts very high frequency. For example, at least six trains per hour
(not per day!) operate between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka Stations during
daytime hours."
JR 300
Hikari
meaning 'light,' was the original Shinkansen service on the
Tokaido/Sanyo Line. Since the introduction of the Nozomi trains, it now
serves as the mid-level service making a few more stops, but still
traveling very fast. Hikari trains link Tokyo and Osaka in about three
hours."
JR 500 variation
"Meaning 'hope,' the Nozomi trains
take only about 2.5 hours between Tokyo and Osaka, and roughly 5 hours
from Tokyo all the way to the southern end of the island at Hakata
(Fukuoka)". The high-speed rail network of Japan is commercially
justified by very high population density of these areas, even though
each train can cost up to $40 million US dollars.
Storm Troopers commute
FRENCH NEW RAIL SPEED RECORD
You probably heard about French beating previous train speed record of 515 km/h with the new TGV-based train V-150 with a supercharged engine and extra-wide wheels. New record is 574.8 km/h.
Way to go, France! Next record-beating train will just soar into the
air, grow some wings and fly across to England, or even overseas :) Check out the offical record site, it has a better quality video.
Europe
has some outstanding transportation design (many Japanese Shinkansen
trains were designed in Germany). We saw lots of cool trains; here is
one on Munich-Fussen line:
