Along with the development of technology, the methods used by people to get their transportation requirements catered also got changed. The time taken for commute was one of the biggest problems that people had to face. This led them towards numerous inconvenient situations. That’s where they always wanted to come up with a better solution, which can assist them to cut down the time taken for commute purposes. This need created an ideal environment for the development of the concept called bullet trains.
Countries that have bullet trains
The concept of a bullet train is not something new to the world. It is possible for you to discover numerous countries that are using bullet trains as of now. Out of those countries, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Taiwan, Belgium and Austria have received a lot of attention. In fact, Japan is the country to have the world’s fasted bullet trains. Along with that, numerous other countries, such as Russia, Poland, China, South Korea, Spain, United States, United Kingdom, and Turkey also have bullet trains. These bullet trains are contributing a lot towards the way how people commute in the countries. In fact, bullet trains have been able to revolutionize the way how people move from one place to another.
While learning about bullet trains, you will get the curiosity to learn how they are developed and understand what makes them so fast.
What exactly is a bullet train?
There is no proper definition for a bullet train. However, it is possible to claim that a train, which has the ability to travel at a speed of more than 250kmph is a bullet train. However, these trains might not travel at the same speed from start to finish. There are instances where these trains slow down at certain points in their tracks due to safety reasons.
As of now, it is possible to find more than 16 different countries using bullet trains. As mentioned earlier, Japan has the fastest bullet trains in the world. On the other hand, you will notice that there is a massive bullet train network located within China. This bullet train network has got more than 27,000 different tracks. It is also possible to find dedicated bullet train tracks in countries such as Germany, France, Spain, and Japan.
History of bullet trains
The very first bullet train to the world was introduced by people in Japan. In fact, the high-speed train line that you can find between Osaka and Tokyo was able to contribute towards this. The first bullet train ride in this line was initiated back in the year 1964. This bullet train became extremely popular out there in the world as well. It was able to reach a speed of 210kmph at its inception.
Back in the year 1977, the second bullet train was introduced to the world. It was in between Florence and Rome. It is also the very first high-speed railway line to be established within Europe. Trains that are traveling in this line could achieve a maximum speed of around 250kmph. However, it took longer than they expected to complete the construction activities of the bullet train line. Those construction activities were completed back in the year 1992. In the meantime, France initiated a new project to come up with their own bullet train line. That’s where they were able to introduce bullet train line in between Lyons and Paris. This project was completed in the year 1981. The bullet train was able to travel at a speed of 260kmph.
Can bullet trains run on traditional railway tracks?
When you take a look at the bullet train that is currently being operating around the world, you will notice that most of them are running on the traditional railway tracks. These traditional railway tracks have been developed quite similar to the gauge systems. However, they are made with strong materials to make sure that the weight of the bullet trains are supported.
The railway tracks and bullet trains that are running on them are often synchronized. This is how the bullet trains are in a position to achieve such a high level of speed. Power to them is delivered through pantographs mounted on the roof. Along with that, it is possible to find overhead supply lines as well.
From departure to destination, most of the areas in the bullet train track are kept straight. This is in a position to deliver excellent assistance to the high speed that the train is achieving. In most of the countries, you will even be able to find dedicated tracks for these trains.
Infrastructure network behind bullet trains
The number of bullet trains that are running around the world is increasing along with time. In order to cater to this growth, infrastructure is being developed as well. As of now, the length of total high-speed train lines created around the world is around 43,000km. The number is increasing rapidly along with time. That’s because people have discovered that using bullet trains is an efficient method available for them to get from one location to another. Hence, they are looking forward to harnessing the maximum potential that comes along with it.
Out of the current bullet train lines that you can find around the world, around 65% is hosted within China. Within China, around 60% of the global bullet train passenger traffic is managed as well.
You will be able to find sophisticated technology behind used in the bullet trains as well. For example, the bullet trains that you can find in Japan can reach a top speed of 603kmph. Hence, people are provided with the opportunity to get from one place to another with minimum hassle and frustration. It can deliver a perfect experience to them at all times.