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High-speed rail

High-speed rail, or HSR, is a type of passenger rail transport that can travel at significantly faster speeds than conventional rail transport: about 124 miles per hour for upgraded track or 155 miles per hour for new track. In Japan, Shinkansen lines run at speeds of up to 186 miles per hour; in China, high-speed lines operate at more than 200 miles per hour. (A magnetic levitation line, or Maglev for short, can reach 268 miles per hour.) High-speed rail is usually designed for passenger travel but can also support freight service.

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The future of air transport: Airbus unveils concept airplane for 2030

Airbus has unveiled its vision of the future of flying in 2030: a concept plane that's sleek, slim and smart.

10 | July 21, 2010 7:10am | By Andrew Nusca
Spain uses free WiFi as economic booster

MADRID -- Spain uses free WiFi on public transportation and in tourist areas to boost economy.

6 | November 7, 2011 3:59am | By Jennifer Riggins
New York to London in one hour? The Scramjet's failed test flight

The flight test for the experimental X-51A WaveRider plane which could potentially travel up to 4500mph has resulted in failure.

4 | August 15, 2012 2:03pm | By Charlie Osborne
Five new green technology innovations from the U.S.

If anyone asks where the spirit of invention has gone in the United States, look no further than its green technology start-ups. New businesses are cropping up in places like Allentown and...

April 19, 2012 9:05pm | By David Worthington
High-speed rail 2.0: trains that never stop

Getting on a local train in Boston and getting off in San Francisco? A U.K. design firm says non-stop high-speed rail is the future of train travel.

33 | June 23, 2011 7:54pm | By Channtal Fleischfresser
Japan unveils 310 mph floating train

Japan continues with high-speed rail innovation.

28 | November 26, 2012 2:37pm | By Tyler Falk
Video: World's longest motorcycle seats 25 passengers

A record-breaking motorcycle that is 72 feet long comes up short when it comes to practicality.

5 | August 9, 2011 6:17am | By Tuan C. Nguyen
Objects levitate using spooky quantum trick [video]

Researchers have released a video demonstrating how "quantum levitation," lets objects stay locked in mid-air.

3 | October 20, 2011 6:05am | By Tuan C. Nguyen
The new metropolis, sponsored by you

Crowdfunding is providing innovative new urban design projects with the capital they need to get started. But can citizens really dictate future city landscapes?

3 | March 26, 2013 3:00am | By Kevin Gray
America's oil choice: Pay up, or get off

America is faced with a strategic choice: pay more for oil or leave it behind.

48 | February 20, 2013 1:55am | By Chris Nelder
'Supertruck' big rig design doubles fuel efficiency

A radical rethinking of tractor trailer design may drastically cut emissions and save fuel.

11 | June 29, 2011 3:32am | By Tuan C. Nguyen
Disruptor | Joe Boardman, Amtrak CEO

The CEO of Amtrak is credited with moving the rail line forward after decades of under-use and neglect. Can he herald the arrival of super-fast trains along the Northeast Corridor?

19 | April 16, 2013 3:00am | By Claire Lambrecht
Amtrak rolls into the Information Age

For a long time, a ride on an Amtrak train meant leaving digital technology at the station. Now, the U.S. rail operator is working to leap ahead -- and convince commuters that rail is 21st century...

3 | February 15, 2012 5:29am | By Melanie D.G. Kaplan
New high-speed trains for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor

An overhaul of America's railways may be in the works.

8 | December 14, 2012 3:05am | By Channtal Fleischfresser
It runs in tubes: the first high-speed rail, circa 1870

More than 140 years ago, promises of passengers quietly whisked between stations on pressurized air.

5 | March 15, 2010 10:22am | By Joe McKendrick
With new bullet-train line, China on track with big infrastructure goals

HONG KONG -- Last week, China unveiled the longest high-speed rail line in the world, but a big crash in 2011 has many wondering if the country is developing its network too quickly.

1 | January 3, 2013 3:00am | By Vanessa Ko
Urban planner, network architect among best careers of 2011

U.S. News & World Report named the urban planner as one of the top 50 careers of 2011, forecasting "strong growth" for the position in the next decade.

6 | December 13, 2010 6:30am | By Andrew Nusca
Store offers innovative flying hovercraft for $190,000

The 70 mph Universal hovercraft can fly over land, sea and even snow.

4 | May 4, 2012 5:00am | By Tuan C. Nguyen
100 inspiring urban infrastructure projects

Take a tour of some of the world's greatest urban infrastructure projects.

July 6, 2012 9:31am | By Tyler Falk
Japan OKs maglev high-speed rail line between Tokyo, Osaka

Japanese officials have approved the construction of a maglev train line between Tokyo and Osaka.

5 | June 2, 2011 6:36am | By Andrew Nusca