The fastest trains. High speed trains

IN present moment In Europe and China, the process of ousting air carriers by railway companies is underway. To some extent this is due to the fact that the fastest trains in the world capable of competing in speed with an airliner. Some modern railway vehicles reach speeds in excess of 600 km/h, while some passenger aircraft accelerate at airspace only up to 510 km/h (Yak-40). It was possible to achieve such high speed indicators thanks to innovative technology magnetic suspension of trains. Ultra-fast machines made using this technology are called maglevs or magnetic planes.

The top 10 included the fastest trains in the world throughout the history of railways.

Speed 412 km/h

Transrapid 06 (Germany) opens the ten fastest trains in the world. Its predecessor, Transrapid 05, created in 1979, was the world's first magnetic plane. TransRapid 06 is a two-level maglev capable of reaching a maximum speed of 412 km/h. The record was set in January 1988.

Speed 430 km/h

Aerotrain I80HV(France) ranks ninth in the top fastest trains in the world. The uniqueness of this experimental model was that the engineers used not electric motors, but a jet engine similar to what is installed on airplanes. The experimental Aerotrain project was developed from 1965 to 1977 by engineer Jean Bertin. The maximum speed that this train showed was 430 km/h. The tests took place on March 5, 1974. For 15 years, this world record could not be broken by any railway vehicle. But then a series of TGV trains appeared, which surpassed the legendary Aerotrain I80HV in speed. Currently, only one restored retro model, Aerotrain 02, remains from the project, which is located in Paris. The remaining prototypes were destroyed in a massive fire.

Speed 431 km/h

MLU002 N(Japan) - high-speed maglev, one of the fastest trains in the world. It was developed in 1994 as a trial test model. During testing, the MLU002N reached a speed of 431 km/h, which is why it made it onto our list. The uniqueness of magnetic planes is that even at maximum speed they can stop abruptly in the required place.

Speed 442.5 km/h

(Japan) ranks seventh in the list of fastest trains. As a result of testing, the super-express accelerated to 442.5 km/h. It was built for high-speed passenger transportation. Shinkasens in Japan run on special high-speed tracks that are separate from other trains and have their own platforms. The shinkasen system is the main transport artery of Japan. Average speed Magnetic planes of this series have a speed of 320 km/h. Shinkansen are also considered the safest high-speed trains in the world, with no incidents reported in half a century. fatal or severe injuries.

Speed 450 km/h

Transrapid 07 (Germany) - one of the highest speed trains in the world, which is a successor to TransRapida 06. It was created with the purpose of transporting passengers from Berlin to Hamburg. But due to insufficient funding, the project had to be curtailed. During testing carried out in 1993, TransRapid reached speeds of up to 450 km/h, thereby going down in history as one of the fastest magnetic planes.

Speed 486.1 km/h

Or CRH380A (China) ranks fifth in the ranking of the fastest trains in the world. The record was set during a test run of the Hese-380A train on the section between the cities of Zaozhuang and Benpu on the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway in 2010. During the tests, he covered a 220 km section at a speed of 486.1 km/h. And this is already quite at the level of the new An-140 regional aircraft. The Chinese government has been actively investing in the development of high-speed railways throughout the 21st century.

Speed 500 km/h

Transrapid08 (China) or Shanghai Maglev is one of the fastest trains in the world. The maximum speed developed by the magnetic plane is 500 km/h. TransRapid 08 operates 14 hours a day on the route and can carry up to 440 passengers per trip. On average (as of the end of 2007) approximately 7,500 passengers were carried each day. The average speed of ultra-fast railway transport is 300 km/h.

Speed 517 km/h

M.L.-500 R(Japan) opens the top three high-speed trains in the world with absolute speed 517 km/h. Magnetoplane has never been used as public transport. This is one of the first prototypes created by the Japanese for testing purposes and served as an example for the creation of other fast maglev trains.

Speed 574.8 km/h

TGVEstV150 (France) ranks second in the ranking of the fastest trains in the world. During the experiment on April 3, 2007, the speed record for a rail car with traditional wheels was 574.8 km/h. The electric train was formed from two head motor cars from TGV POS No. 4402, which were modernized, and three intermediate cars from TGV Duplex. The motor cars were equipped with more powerful traction electric motors, due to which the output power of the electric train increased from 9.3 MW to 19.6 MW, the wheels were replaced with new ones with a larger diameter (1020 mm, instead of 920 mm), and to reduce air resistance the gaps between the cars were closed. Also the voltage in contact network was raised from 25 kV to 31 kV, and more than 600 different sensors were placed on the train. At the beginning of 2007, experimental trips were carried out on the line, during which an unofficial record of 554.3 km/h was set on February 13, and on April 3 at large quantities journalists and correspondents accelerated the train to a speed of 574.8 km/h, thereby officially setting a new world speed record for rail trains. The driver of the TGV Est V150, driver Eric Piezak, said after the tests that he was allowed to accelerate the car to a speed not exceeding 575 km/h.

Speed 603 km/h

(Japan) is the fastest train in the world, the absolute record of which is 603 km/h. The high-speed machine is based on magnetic suspension technology. For half a century, previous trains of the same series have been a symbol of reliability and speed. In 2003, a train from this series was able to accelerate to 581 km/h with passengers on board, and in April 2015 an absolute world record was set - 603 km/h. MLX 01 is the absolute flagship among trains around the world. Its average speed is about 300 km/h.

Modern high-speed trains in normal operation reach speeds of up to 350-400 km/h, and in tests they can even accelerate to 560-580 km/h. Thanks to the speed of service and high speed of movement, they seriously compete with other types of transport, while maintaining such a property of all trains as low cost of transportation with a large volume of passenger traffic.

The first regular service of high-speed trains began in 1964 in Japan under the Shinkansen project. In 1981, VSNT trains began running in France, and soon most of Western Europe, including even the island of Great Britain, became connected by a single high-speed railway network. IN beginning of XXI century, China became the world leader in the development of a network of high-speed lines, as well as the operator of the first regular high-speed maglev.

Mostly high-speed trains carry passengers, but there are varieties designed to transport goods. Thus, for 30 years, the French service La Poste used special TGV electric trains, which were used to transport mail and parcels (their operation ended in June 2015 due to a reduction in recent years volume of postal items).

On average, according to European standards, the construction of 1 km of a high-speed highway costs 20-25 million euros, and its annual maintenance costs 80 thousand euros. The cost of one high-speed train with 350 seats ranges from 20 to 25 million euros, its annual maintenance costs 1 million euros.

Definition [ | ]

Concept High speed ground transport (and also High speed train) is relatively arbitrary and may differ both by country and by historical periods. So, back at the beginning of the 20th century, high-speed trains were called trains traveling at speeds above 150-160 km/h. Due to the further increase in train speeds, this level gradually increased. Currently, for example, in Russia and France (on regular lines) its value is 200 km/h, in Japan, as well as in France (but for specialized lines) - 250 km/h, in the USA - about 190 km/h and so on.

In addition, in many countries such concepts as High speed train And High speed train. Despite the fact that the Soviet/Russian (use) ER200 and ChS200 (locomotive of the Aurora and Nevsky Express trains) reached speeds of 220 km/h on test trips, they are not high-speed, since their maximum operating speed does not exceed 200 km/h.

Scope of application[ | ]

It is more rational to use high-speed ground transport between distant objects, especially when there is a large regular passenger flow, for example, between a city and an airport, in resort areas or between two large cities. This explains the spread of high-speed trains in countries such as Japan, France, Germany and many others, where high density urban population. The possibility of locating stations in a place convenient for passengers is taken into account, otherwise it will be faster for residents from the suburbs to get to another city by car if the road to the railway station takes too long.

Also, high-speed trains are effective in conditions of high prices for petroleum products, since most of the power for high-speed trains comes from power plants, which can use renewable resources (for example, the energy of falling water).

Story [ | ]

Trains speed up[ | ]

Experimental electric motorboat from Siemens & Halske, 1903

Soon after the opening of the first public railways, the public greatly appreciated the potential of trains as a fast means of transport. Thus, at the Reinhill competitions held in 1829, the steam locomotive “Rocket” reached a speed of 38.6 km/h (according to other sources - 46.7 km/h), which at that time was a world speed record. Subsequently, the maximum speeds of trains continued to increase, and in September 1839, the Hurricane steam locomotive on the Great Western road (Great Britain) crossed the speed limit of 160.9 km/h. On May 10, 1893, high-speed steam locomotive No. 999.

The speed limit of 200 km/h was overcome on October 6, 1903 (a month before the first flight of the aircraft) on the test line Marienfelde - Zossen (a suburb of Berlin) by an experimental electric car created by the company Siemens & Halske, showed a record speed of 206 km/h. At the end of the same month (October 28) another electric car from the company AEG showed a speed of 210.2 km/h.

The first high-speed lines[ | ]

Despite numerous projects in European countries, the first public high-speed rail appeared on the other side of the continent - in Japan. In this country, in the mid-1950s, the transport situation along the eastern coast of the island of Honshu sharply worsened, which was associated with the high intensity of passenger traffic between the country's largest cities, especially between Tokyo and Osaka. Using mainly foreign experience (especially American), the Japanese Railways Administration quite quickly (1956-1958) created a high-speed project railway between these two cities. Construction of the road began on April 20, 1959, and on October 1, 1964, the world's first high-speed railway was put into operation. It was given the name “Tokaido”, the length of the route was 515.4 km, and the maximum permissible train speed was 210 km/h. The road quickly gained popularity among the population, as evidenced, for example, by the increase in the volume of passenger traffic carried out on the line:

from October 1, 1964 to March 31, 1965 - 11 million passengers;
from April 1, 1966 to March 31, 1967 - 43.8 million passengers;
from April 1, 1971 to March 31, 1972 - 85.4 million passengers.

Already in 1967, the road began to make a profit, and by 1971 it had fully recouped its construction costs.

HSRs are united into a network[ | ]

To test the feasibility of implementing this idea, a working group was formed from specialists from the International Union of Railways and, in 1989, developed the “Proposals for a European High-Speed Rail Network”, on the basis of which the EU Council of Ministers formed working group called "Group" high level” (also known as the “High Speed” group). This group included representatives of EU member countries, railway companies, enterprises producing railway equipment, as well as a number of other interested companies. On 17 December 1990, the Council of Ministers of the EU approved the report “European High-Speed Train Network” developed by the Group and the accompanying master plan for the development of high-speed railways in Europe until 2010.

Technologies [ | ]

For the most part, the technologies used on VSNT are similar to standard technologies railway transport. The differences are primarily due to the high speed of movement, which entails an increase in such parameters as centrifugal forces (occur when a train passes curved sections of the track, which can cause a state of discomfort among passengers) and movement resistance. In general, the increase in train speed is limited by the following factors:

To improve aerodynamic indicators, the trains have a streamlined front part and a minimum number of protruding parts, and the protruding parts (for example, pantographs) are equipped with special streamlined casings. Additionally, the undercar equipment is covered with special shields. Due to the use of such constructive measures, the noise level is also reduced, that is, the train becomes less noisy.

Mechanical resistance mainly consists of wheel-rail interaction, that is, to reduce resistance it is necessary to reduce the deflection of the rails. To do this, first of all, they strengthen the railway track, for which rails are used heavy types, reinforced concrete sleepers, crushed stone ballast. The loads from the wheels on the rails are also reduced, for which purpose aluminum alloys and plastic are used in the materials of the car bodies.

As one of the alternative possibilities for high-speed rail traffic and for testing high speeds on railway tracks, in the 1930s in Germany (Rail Zeppelin), in the 1960s in the USA (M-497) and in the 1970s in the USSR ( High-speed car-laboratory) tested prototypes of trains that did not have motor traction for bogies of wheel sets and were driven by turboprop and turbojet engines.

Also, in order to completely get rid of wheel friction, that is, to make the train hang above the tracks (non-rail guides or canvas), hovercraft trains with turboprop and turbojet engines (French, etc.) were developed, which were not widely used, as well as trains with magnetic levitation (maglev) with linear traction electric motors and superconductors, which have become somewhat widespread in the world.

To ensure high output power the train must be very powerful. This explains that almost all high-speed trains (with only rare exceptions) are electric rolling stock (electric locomotives, electric trains). The traction motors on first generation trains were DC commutator motors. The power of such an engine is limited primarily by the commutator-brush assembly (which is also unreliable), so brushless traction electric motors began to be used on trains of subsequent generations: synchronous (valve) and asynchronous. Such engines have much higher power, so, for comparison: the power of TED DC electric train TGV-PSE (1st generation) is 538 kW, and synchronous electric train TGV-A (2nd generation) is 1100 kW.

To brake high-speed trains, electric braking is primarily used; at high speeds, regenerative braking is used, and at low speeds, rheostatic braking is used. However, modern ones (for example, used on 4th generation EPS) make it possible to use regenerative braking in almost the entire speed range on rolling stock with brushless electric motors.

VSNT and other types of transport[ | ]

VSNT and aviation [ | ]

Comparison of total travel time by train (red lines) and plane (blue line)

At the beginning of 2011, high-speed trains had not yet reached the speeds of passenger jet aircraft - 900-950 km/h. From this we can conclude that you can get from city to city by plane faster than by train. However, here the fact comes into force that most airports are located far from city centers (due to extensive infrastructure and high noise from aircraft), and the journey to them can take considerable time. In addition, registration before landing takes quite a long time (about 1 hour), as well as overhead costs for takeoff and landing. In turn, high-speed trains can depart from the city's central stations, and the time from purchasing a ticket to the departure of the train can take about 15 minutes. Thus, this difference in time allows trains to have some advantage over airplanes. The figure shows graphs of the approximate travel time by train and plane, taking into account the time to travel to the station or airport and check-in. Based on it, you can see that up to a certain distance The total travel time by train will be less than by plane.

Replacing air traffic between cities with VSNT, first of all, allows you to free up a significant number of aircraft, which saves on expensive aviation fuel, and also allows you to relieve airports. The latter makes it possible to increase the number of long-distance flights, including intercontinental ones. It is worth noting that already with the launch of the first high-speed trains, there was a significant outflow of passenger traffic from domestic aviation to the high-speed railway, which is why airlines were forced to either reduce the number of such flights or attract passengers by reducing ticket prices and speeding up service. The safety factor also played a significant role here - in February-March 1966, a series of major plane crashes occurred in Japan (February 4, March 4, March 5), which caused an erosion of confidence in aviation.

High-speed ground transportation by country[ | ]

Notes [ | ]

Rail transport: Encyclopedia / Ch. ed.

WITH early XIX Over the centuries, trains have always been considered a fine example of human engineering and ingenuity. Their invention spurred people to develop even more innovative technologies and spread the Industrial Revolution across the globe. Nowadays, trains have become one of the fastest ways to travel on earth and continue to improve every day.

1. Eurostar e320

Traveling at a speed of 320 km/h, the e320 Eurostar connects the cities of London, Paris and Brussels, and also passes under the English Channel. Although these trains are manufactured by the German company Siemans Velaro, Eurostar is actually an international joint project between France, the United Kingdom and Belgium.

2. KTX-Sancheon

Released in 2009, the South Korean train was the culmination of more than a decade of research and was the second commercial high-speed train developed in Korea. Initially, it could reach a maximum speed of 350 km/h, later after major accident its speed was limited to 300 km/h due to safety concerns.

3. Talgo 350

Originally built to connect the Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona, the Talgo 350 can reach a top speed of 365 km/h. Locals nicknamed him "Pato" (duck) because specific shape front of the train.

4. Zefiro 380

Manufactured by Canadian aerospace and transportation firm Bombardier, the Zefiro 380 train can reach an operating speed of 380 km/h. In the near future, the first batch of trains will hit the rails in Chinese city Qingdao.

5. Shinkansen Bullet Trains

Japanese bullet trains Shinkansen trains The E5 and E6 series can reach speeds approaching 400 km/h. These trains are also well known for their ability to maintain high speeds without compromising the comfort and safety of passengers.

6. Frecciarossa 1000

The train, called the Red Arrow, is the fastest in Italy. It can reach speeds of up to 400 km/h and is one of the most environmentally friendly high-speed trains in the world, with minimal CO2 emissions and built from almost 100% recyclable materials.

7. Velaro E

Developed by Siemens Velaro, the train, which is owned by Spanish railway company RENFE, can reach a top speed of 404 km/h. It holds the national record for the fastest train speed in Spain.

8. ICE V

Originally known as the Intercity Experimental, the ICE V train was government funded research project, which is exploring the possibility of high-speed rail service in Germany. In 1988 he set a new speed record for rail cars. vehicles- 407 km/h.

9. Aerotrain I80

Built by French engineer Jean Bertin, the Aerotrain I80 was equipped jet engine hovercraft, which in 1974 set the world speed record for land-based hovercraft (430 km/h). The train was never used commercially due to a lack of funding and the death of Jean Bertenant in 1977. However, it laid the foundation for maglev trains that appeared in subsequent years.

10. CRH380A

This high speed train entered service at the end of 2010 and is the only Chinese production locomotive that was not based on foreign designs or technology. Its top speed is 486 km/h, but after a severe collision in 2011, its operating speed was limited to 300 km/h.

11. Shanghai Maglev Train

The world's first commercial magnetic levitation train, the Shanghai Maglev Train hit the rails in 2004 and was the first train developed by the German company Transrapid. SMT can reach speeds of up to 500 km/h and connects the outskirts of Shanghai with Pudong International Airport.

12. Transrapid 09

The latest and most advanced Maglev train, developed by German manufacturers Transrapid, is designed to travel at a cruising speed of around 500 km/h. It can also accelerate and decelerate much faster than other high-speed trains.

13. TGV POS

In 2007, a modified TGV POS set a world speed record for a conventional vehicle, reaching a speed of 575 km/h. The train was modified to only use two power machines as well big wheels. Therefore, the actual speed of the train that runs between France and Switzerland is limited to a maximum speed of 320 km/h.

14. JR-Maglev MLX01

Reaching a shocking speed of 585 km/h on a 40 km test track in Yamanashi, Japan's experimental maglev MLX01 set a new speed record for maglev railway rolling stock in 2003. It held this achievement for twelve years until the record was broken by another Japanese Maglev in 2015, reaching a speed of 603 km/h.

15. SCMaglev L0 Series

With a peak speed of 603 km/h this Japanese train maglev is a world record holder. Soon such trains are planned to be launched on the route between Tokyo and Osaka.

Since the early 19th century, the train has always stood as a symbol of human engineering and craftsmanship, and its invention has always pushed us to develop even more innovative technologies and spread the industrial revolution across the globe.

Today, trains have become one of the fastest land methods of transportation, and they continue to improve every day!

25. Hyperloop Train

Let's start this list with an honorable mention. Requiring years of work to become a commercial reality, the Hyperloop train is a theoretical high-speed vehicle proposed by billionaire and entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Moving through the pipe low pressure, the Hyperloop train can travel at speeds of up to 760 mph (1,223 km/h) - fast enough to cover the distance from Los Angeles to San Francisco in just 30 minutes.

24. Mallard 4468

With a top speed of 126 mph (202.78 km/h), the Mallard broke the world speed record for steam locomotives in 1938 and is still considered the world's fastest steam train.

The Mallard was withdrawn from service in 1963 and can now be seen at the United Kingdom's National Railway Museum in York.

23. Acela Express

Owned by Amtrak, the high-speed Acela Express train runs throughout the Northeast Corridor of the United States, from Washington DC to Boston, Massachusetts. With a top speed of 150 mph (241.4 km/h), the Acela Express is the fastest train in North America.

22. High-speed train THSR 700T

Designed and manufactured in Japan, the THSR 700T high-speed train was designed almost immediately after the Japanese Shinkansen 700 Series electric train. With a top speed of 186 mph (299.34 km/h), the THSR 700T is the fastest bullet train on the island of Taiwan.

21. "Thalys"

Traveling at a speed of 186 mph (299.34 km/h), Thalis connects 17 cities in Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Departing from Brussels, the Thalis can arrive in Paris within 90 minutes, and promises a full refund if it doesn't arrive on time.

20. "Regina"

Regina is a Swedish high-speed passenger train manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. Although it typically travels at a commercial speed of 120 mph (193.12 km/h), the modified Regina train set a speed record for railway trains Sweden in 2008, reaching 188 mph (302.56 km/h).

19. “A-Zhe-Ve Italo” (AGV Italo)

Officially known as the AGV 575, the Italo was manufactured by the French engineering company Alstom and owned by the Italian company NTV. With a top speed of 190 mph (305.78 km/h), A-Je-Ve Italo was the fastest train in Italy until 2015, when its speed record was broken by the Frecciarossa 1000. .

18.TCDD HT80000

Built almost entirely on the Siemens Velaro platform, the HT80000 can reach a top speed of approximately 190 mph (305.78 km/h) and is Turkey's fastest commercial high-speed train.

17. Alstom Euroduplex

The Euroduplex is a high-speed, two-level train that reaches speeds of 200 mph (321.87 km/h). The first version was purchased and put into service by the French railway company SNCF, but the second was also sold to ONCF in Morocco, thereby making the Euroduplex the first high-speed train on the African continent.

16. "Eurostar e320" (Eurostar e320)

Traveling at a speed of 200 mph (321.87 km/h), the Eurostar E320 train connects London, Paris and Brussels, and also passes under the English Channel.

Although Eurostar's trains are manufactured by the German company Siemens Velaro, Eurostar is actually an international collaboration between France, Great Britain and Belgium.

15. KTX-Sancheon

Introduced in 2009, the South Korean train was the culmination of more than a decade of research and the second high-speed train developed by the Koreans. The KTX-Sancheon can travel at a top speed of 219 mph (352.45 km/h), but for safety reasons its speed limit has been limited to 186 mph (299.34 km/h).

14. "Talgo 350" (Talgo 350)

Originally built to connect two Spanish cities - Madrid and Barcelona - the Talgo 350 high-speed train can reach a maximum speed of 227 miles per hour (365.32 km/h). Because of the front of the train, which resembles a duck's beak, it is popularly nicknamed "Pato", which means "duck" in Spanish.

13. “Zefiro 380″ (Zefiro 380)

Manufactured by Canadian aerospace and transportation company Bombardier, the Zephyro 380 can reach one of the world's best operational speeds of 236 mph (379.81 km/h). In the near future, he will travel on China's railways.

12. Shinkansen bullet trains

Operated by the East Japan Railway Group, Japan's Shinkansen high-speed rail network's E5 and E6 bullet trains can reach speeds close to 250 mph (402.34 km/h). Trains are also well proven for their ability to travel at high speeds without compromising passenger comfort or safety.

11. “Red Arrow 1000″ (Frecciarossa 1000)

The high-speed Red Arrow 1000 is the fastest train in operation in Italy, reaching a top speed of almost 250 mph (402.34 km/h). It is also one of the most environmentally friendly high-speed trains in the world, with minimal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and almost 100% recyclable materials.

10. Velaro E

Built by Siemens Velaro and operated by the state-owned rail network RENFE, the Velaro E high-speed train can reach a top speed of 251 mph (403.95 km/h). It holds the Spanish railway speed record and also holds the world speed record for unmodified commercial trains (until 2010).

9. "Ice V" (ICE V)

Originally known as the Intercity Experimental, Ice V was a government-funded research project initiated to explore the feasibility of high-speed rail service in Germany. In 1988, it set a new speed record for a railroad vehicle, reaching 253 mph (407.16 km/h).

8. Jet high-speed train LIMRV

Named short for Linear Induction Motor Research Vehicle, the LIMRV high-speed train was equipped with a 3,000 horsepower gas turbine to power a linear induction motor, as well as two J52 jet engines to achieve even higher speeds. .

In 1974, LIMRV reached 256 mph (411.99 km/h), which was at the time the world speed record for a conventional railroad vehicle.

7. “Aérotrain I80”

The Aerotrain I80, designed by French engineer Jean Bertin, was a jet-powered hovercraft monorail that set the land speed record for hovercraft in 1974, reaching 267 mph (429.69 km). /h).

Due to lack of funding, as well as the death of its creator in 1977, the train never saw commercial use. However, it laid the foundation for maglev trains that were developed in subsequent years.

This high-speed train entered service at the end of 2010 and is the only Chinese high-speed train developed exclusively based on Chinese designs and technologies.

Its record top speed is 302 mph (486.02 km/h), but after a violent collision in 2011, China's Ministry of Railways reduced the train's operating speed to 186 mph (299.34 km/h).

5. Shanghai Maglev Train

As the world's first commercially used maglev train, the Shanghai Maglev entered service in 2004, marking the first use of trains developed by German manufacturing company Transrapid.

The Shanghai Maglev can reach speeds of up to 311 mph (500.51 km/h). It connects the Shanghai metro station and Pudong International Airport.

4. "Transrapid 09"

The latest and most advanced 09 series of magnetic levitation (maglev) trains, designed by German manufacturer Transrapid, are designed to travel at a cruising speed of approximately 311 mph (500.51 km/h). The train can speed up and slow down in a fraction of the time it takes other high-speed trains to do so.

3. TGV POS

In 2007, a modified TGV POS high-speed electric train set a world speed record for rail trains, reaching 357 mph (574.54 km/h).

To set the record, the train was modified to have larger wheels and use only two motor cars. Unmodified rolling stock, which connects France and Switzerland, operates with a maximum speed limit of 200 mph (321.87 km/h).

2. JR-Maglev MLX01

Traveling at a shocking 363 mph (584.19 km/h) along a 27-mile (43.45 km) test track in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, the experimental maglev MLX01 high-speed train set a new record in 2003 ground speed for rail trains.

This record stood for 12 years until it was broken in 2015 by another Japanese maglev on the same test track.

We continue to talk about unusual things and next in line are devices whose value can hardly be overestimated – trains!

The history of trains as a whole is a hymn to speed and reliability, passing through intrigue and huge amount money, but we are interested in the 10 fastest trains of our time.

The world of trains looks unusual today, this is due to the fact that since 1979, the classic rail train has been joined by its high-tech brothers, machines from the future - “Maglevs” (from the English magnetic levitation - “magnetic levitation”). Proudly floating above the magnetic sheet and moving latest achievements in the field of superconductors, they can become the transport of the future. In view of this, for each we will indicate the type of train and under what conditions the record was obtained, because somewhere on board the express there were no passengers, somewhere even drivers.

1. Shinkansen

The world speed record belongs to the Japanese maglev train; on April 21, 2015, at a special section during testing in Yamanashi Prefecture, the train was able to reach a speed of 603 kilometers per hour, with only the driver on board. This is simply an incredible number!

Test video:

Adding to the insane speed is the amazing silence of this super train; the absence of wheels makes the ride comfortable and surprisingly smooth.

Today, the Shinkansen is one of the fastest trains on commercial routes, with a speed of 443 km/h.

2. TGV POS

The first fastest among rail trains, but second overall, on the planet (as of 2015) is the French TGV POS. The amazing thing is that at the time the speed record was recorded, the train was accelerated to an impressive figure of 574.8 km/h, while journalists and service personnel were on board!

But even taking into account the world record, the speed of the train when moving on commercial routes does not exceed 320 km/h.

3. Shanghai Maglev Train

Next, we have third place given to China with their Shanghai Maglev Train, as the name implies, this train plays in the category of wizards hanging in a powerful magnetic field. This incredible maglev maintains a speed of 431 km/h for 90 seconds (during this time it manages to swallow 10.5 kilometers!), which reaches the maximum speed of this composition, during testing it was able to accelerate to 501 km/h.

4. CRH380A

Another record comes from China, the train with the incredibly euphonious name “CRH380A” took an honorable fourth place. The maximum speed on the route, as the name implies, is 380 km/h, and the maximum recorded result is 486.1 km/h. It is noteworthy that this high-speed train was assembled and launched entirely based on Chinese production facilities. The train carries almost 500 passengers, and boarding is similar to an airplane.

5. TR-09

Location: Germany – maximum speed 450 km/h. Name TR-09.

Number five from the country of the fastest roads - autobahns, and if in terms of speed on the roads Germany can really be classified as fastest country, then the trains are far from number 1.

In sixth place is the train from South Korea. KTX2, which is what the Korean bullet train is called, was able to accelerate to 352 km/h, but at at the moment The maximum speed on commercial routes is limited to 300 km/h.

7. THSR 700T

The next hero, although not the fastest train on the planet, still deserves special applause, the reason for this is the impressive capacity of 989 passengers! considered one of the most spacious and fastest modes of transport.

8. AVETalgo-350

We arrive at the eighth place and stop in Spain, we are on board the AVETalgo-350 (Alta Velocidad Española) nicknamed “Platypus”. The nickname stems from the aerodynamic appearance of the leading carriage (well, you can see for yourself), but no matter how funny our hero looks, his speed of 330 km/h gives him the right to participate in our rating!

9. Eurostar Train

9th place Eurostar Train - France, the train is not so fast 300 km/h (not far from our Sapsan), but the capacity of the train is impressive 900 passengers. By the way, it was on this train that the participants of the famous TV show Top Gear (now deceased, if you love it like me, thumb up!) in season 4, episode 1, they competed with the amazing Aston Martin DB9.

10. Peregrine Falcon

In 10th place, of course, you need to put the Italian “ETR 500” with its good 300 km/h, but I would like to put our quite fast Sapsan. Although the current operational speed of this train is limited to 250 km/h, its modernization (and rather the modernization of its routes) will allow the train to travel at a speed of 350 km/h. At the moment, this is impossible for many reasons, one of them is the vortex effect, which can knock an adult off his feet at a distance of 5 meters from the tracks. Sapsan also sets a funny record - it is the widest high-speed train in the world. Although the train is built on the Siemens platform, due to the wider gauge used in Russia, 1520 mm, versus the European one of 1435 mm, it became possible to increase the width of the car by 300 mm, this makes Sapsan the most “pot-bellied” bullet train.