New Century Rail

Magic with MagLev

2009-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

Further evolution of this system of transportation will allow innovations in train routing and structuring unimaginable with traditional rail transport. The ability to constantly be able to recombine (and decombine) trains that are in motion brings incredible flexibility, efficiency and convenience to rail service.

It's the Holy Grail of rail dispatching.

Europe and Asia lead the world at the moment in maglev technology. China even has it's own operational maglev passenger system.

As with most of the rail innovations changing the face of transportation world wide, the USA sadly lags far behind in this area too. However, with the commitment shown by the Obama administration to pump large sums of money into rail development, our poor technological standing in this crucially important segment of our national and economic infrastructure, should change dramatically.

I can hardly wait.

$5 Billion More Headed to High-Speed Rail

2009-02-26T12:32:00.000-08:00

Counting the $8 billion in the stimulus bill, plus this $5 billion included in the Fed. budget, it brings the total to a whopping $13 billion allocated towards finally bringing the USA passenger rail system into the 21st century. Like his hero Abraham Lincoln, it appears President Barack Obama wants to make rail a centerpiece of his administration.

US Plan Includes $5 Billion Over 5 Years For High-Speed Rail

By Josh Mitchell Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- The budget plan unveiled by U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday boosts spending on high-speed passenger rail service, an early priority of the administration.
Obama proposes spending $5 billion over five years on a program that provides grants to states to invest in "high-speed" rail. That would be on top of the $8 billion over two years for high-speed rail in the economic stimulus package. And it would be separate from the federal government's annual subsidy to Amtrak.
The administration said in a brief description that the new money would help states create "several high-speed rail corridors" linking "regional population centers" across the country. Money in an existing state grant program typically goes into new tracks, signals and stations to improve existing popular routes.
The new investment, the administration states, would mark "a new federal commitment to give the traveling public a practical and environmentally sustainable alternative to flying or driving."

I couldn't be happier.

The Super Locomotive

2009-02-22T09:59:00.000-08:00

It's a locomotive that's one looooong train. Or, is it a train that's one looooong locomotive?

New ‘Very High Speed’ Train Goes 220 mph and Has No Centralized Engine

This month, the French company Alstom Transport is testing its brand new “very high speed” train, the AGV (or Automotrice à Grande Vitesse), on live tracks in Eastern France. Unlike most trains, which have a single engine car in the front or back, the AGV has a series of distributed motors underneath the passenger carriages, which saves space and allows the train to carry 20% more passengers.

The AGV is being tested over 12 nights this month on the Eastern high-speed line, between the Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine stations, at its ideal speed of 224 mph. In comparison, the American high speed Acela train travels at a top speed of 150 mph.

The new French AGV is rumored to be the top choice for the new California high-speed rail system that was recently approved by voters.

California's High-Speed Rail on Fast Track

2009-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Full steam ahead for California bullet train

SACRAMENTO, California (AFP) — One hundred and forty years after a transcontinental railroad linked California to the world, trains are being hailed as integral to the state's growth in the 21st century.

This time, state officials are preparing to spend billions of dollars on high-speed rail lines modeled in part on Japan's Shinkansen bullet train and France's sleek TGV systems.

Supporters say an 800-mile (1,200 kilometer) system of trains running at up to 220 mph (350 kph) will cost about half of the 100 billion dollars that otherwise would have to be spent on new highways and airport runways.

They say it will reduce environmental damage, lessen the state's dependence on foreign oil, create 450,000 jobs and give a huge boost to California businesses. They envision a system, to be completed by 2030, that will carry 90 million passengers a year.

"We need a high-speed rail. Our rail system in America is so old, we are driving the same speed as we did 100 years ago," said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Trip Hop Trains

2009-02-20T20:48:00.000-08:00

We pause for this brief musical interlude, in order to allow the trains to pass by.

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

The Railroad President

2009-02-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

It increasingly appears that President Barack Obama wants to make the modernization of railroads, particularly passenger rail, a "signature issue" for his administration.

Now... and for years to come.

Obama plots huge railroad expansion
By DAVID ROGERS

Railroads made Chicago, and now a Chicago-rich White House wants to return the favor: remaking rail with a huge new federal investment in high-speed passenger trains.

The $787.2 billion economic recovery bill — to be signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday — dedicates $8 billion to high-speed rail, most of which was added in the final closed-door bargaining at the instigation of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

It’s a sum that far surpasses anything before attempted in the United States — and more is coming. Administration officials told Politico that when Obama outlines his 2010 budget next week, it will ask for $1 billion more for high-speed rail in each of the next five years. [...]

As a candidate for president, Obama spoke of high-speed rail as part of his vision of “rebuilding America.” Campaigning in Indiana, he talked of revitalizing the Midwest by connecting cities with faster rail service to relieve congestion and improve energy conservation.

“The time is right now for us to start thinking about high-speed rail as an alternative to air transportation connecting all these cities,” he said. “And think about what a great project that would be in terms of rebuilding America.” [...]

Last week, Emanuel greatly upped the ante, asking House-Senate negotiators for $10 billion for high-speed rail — far more than either bill provided.

“I put it in there for the president,” Emanuel said in an interview. “The president wanted to have a signature issue in the bill, his commitment for the future.”

Finally, a US President who gets the train issue in this new day and age. It's been a looooong time coming.

Oh, happy days.

Train Trippin...

2009-02-13T06:17:00.000-08:00

...on a modern day web of steel and high technology,
from Paris to Amsterdam.

Thalys High-Speed Train

Now, if only America would get on board.

High-Speed Rail Vital to US Economy

2009-02-07T04:17:00.000-08:00

Now is the time for a rail revolution in this country.

Aside from the overriding need to stabilize atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to stabilize climate, there are several other compelling reasons for countries everywhere to restructure their transport systems, including the need to prepare for falling oil production, to alleviate traffic congestion, and to reduce air pollution. The U.S. car-centered transportation model, with three cars for every four people, that much of the world aspires to will not likely be viable over the long term even for the United States, much less for everywhere else. [...]

The passenger rail system would be modeled after those of Japan and Europe. A high-speed transcontinental line that averaged 170 miles per hour would mean traveling coast-to-coast in 15 hours, even with stops in major cities along the way. There is a parallel need to develop an electrified national rail freight network that would greatly reduce the need for long-haul trucks.

Future Train

2009-02-06T17:59:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't it be cool, not to mention time and fuel saving, if passenger trains didn't have to stop at all the various stations on their routes?

Well, from Taiwan comes a interesting and very energy efficient concept for just such a train.

A train that never stops.

The above video (note: it's in Taiwanese), demonstrates a rather interesting concept by Taiwanese inventor Peng Yu-Lun for a train that never stops. He correctly points out that trains would be far more efficient (and on-time) if they didn't have to go through the trouble of, you know, stopping to pick up passengers, Unfortunately, at present not stopping for passengers would mean, well, no passengers. Yu-Lun's design solves that problem with a kind of "top-mounted boarding shuttle that is scooped up when the train passes one station and automatically deposited when it reaches the next stop." See the video to get a better sense of how it would work.

California's High Speed Rail Project

2009-02-04T05:32:00.000-08:00

The citizens of California recently approved 10 billion dollars for high-speed train service from San Francisco to southern California. The system will have over 800 miles of track connecting all the major metropolitan areas of the Golden state. It looks to become America's first, truly world-class high-speed system. Trains will run in the 220+ mph range. LA to San Francisco in 2 and a half hours. Downtown to downtown.

Highballing as they say in train world.

Now, if only the economy could show some life.

Japan Ends Bullet Train Service

2009-01-31T17:22:00.000-08:00

Well, service featuring the original Bullet Train anyways. Over the last 40 years Japan has developed a fine stable of Bullet Train hybrids that now allows them to retire the first Shinkansen or Dream Superexpress Zero Series bullet train.

Now, it's more than capable offspring take over the job.

It's been 44 years of very distinguished, ground-breaking service. Job well done. The Shinkasen Zero series changed the face of railroading as we know it.

New technology marks end of era for Japan's first bullet trains

Travelling at speeds of 220kph, the first Dream Superexpress Zero Series bullet trains became an enduring symbol of Japan's post war recovery.

But this week the original model was retired 44 years after its first run.

The retirement of the original bullet train - known as shinkansen in Japan - goes hand in hand with the rise of 21st century train technology, an area in which the nation has long excelled.

The latest model of bullet trains now in operation in Japan is the N700 Series Shinkansen, which are fitted with tilting technology enabling them to reach speeds of 300 kph while using 20 per cent less electricity than their predecessors.

But soon these too will be obsolete. Japanese train designers are currently working on the nation's first magnetically levitated trains.

Expected to be in operation by 2025, the new "maglev" trains hover about the tracks due to powerful friction-free magnetic fields, enabling them to hit record-breaking speeds in excess of 500kph.

Japan retires it's first bullet train almost a half century after being introduced. America, still doesn't even have it's first bullet train, much less anything going on with maglev. That's simply a crying shame.

It's time we finally got on board the high-speed express. Way past time actually.

USA Needs High-Speed Rail

2009-01-31T08:19:00.000-08:00

It's Everywhere... Except Here.

Finally, it appears high-speed rail will be coming to America.

High-Speed Trains Return to U.S. Fast Track

After languishing at the margins of federal policy for most of the past decade, passenger rail is moving to the fore as President Barack Obama joins a growing number of states in calling for heavy investment in America's rail infrastructure.

The president's $825 billion economic stimulus package includes $30 billion for rail and mass transit projects; a Senate version specifically allocates $850 million for Amtrak and $2 billion for high-speed rail. It's significant, because Obama has long favored expanding passenger rail service and has specifically called for a rail network linking Chicago with the major cities of the Midwest.

Some aren't waiting for the feds to get with it. California voters recently authorized the legislature to issue almost $10 billion in bonds to begin construction of an 800-mile high-speed rail line linking San Francisco with Los Angeles. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has long argued California must lead the nation to a high-speed future. He and others say bolstering the nation's passenger rail system is faster, cheaper and easier than building more freeways or expanding an already overburdened air-travel system.