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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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BiPod flying car works like a Chevy Volt
Burt Rutan's BiPod may be the most innovative attempt at a flying car.
14 | July 19, 2011 9:12am |
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Japan unveils 310 mph floating train
Japan continues with high-speed rail innovation.
28 | November 26, 2012 2:37pm |
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Talking high-speed railways with Invensys Rail's Kevin Riddett
Smart Planet speaks with Kevin Riddett, president and CEO of Invensys Rail, on prospects for high-speed rail systems in the U.S.
2 | March 22, 2010 2:52am |
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In Paris, high-speed trains go low-cost
PARIS -- A line of French trains that broke a speed record in 2007 is setting a new record -- for low-priced tickets that cost a tenth of the regular fare.
12 | March 15, 2013 3:00am |
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Amtrak's high-speed rail vision for 2040: New York to Washington in 96 minutes
Amtrak on Tuesday unveiled its $117 billion vision for high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor by 2040, and it's a doozy: NYC to D.C. or Boston in 1.5 hours.
38 | September 30, 2010 8:06am |
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California's high-speed rail as an energy lifeline
Energy columnist Chris Nelder finds that California's high-speed rail will save more energy than the state produces with wind, and that its $68 billion price tag is downright cheap.
67 | July 11, 2012 3:00am |
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When should we pursue energy transition?
Energy futurist Chris Nelder does the math to determine when we should transition energy to renewables and transportation to rail. The answer: about 40 years ago.
18 | November 2, 2011 5:40am |
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Biden: Great city infrastructure in China, not America
Vice President Biden makes an important point on U.S. infrastructure quality.
28 | June 18, 2012 3:30am |
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The future of cities: Designing New York for 2030
What will New York City look like in 2030? Three architectural firms design the city's future, using high-speed transportation, green spaces and lots of ingenuity.
8 | July 13, 2010 7:13am |
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A $10 billion bullet train for Texas?
Can private investors raise $10 billion to connect Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth?
1 | August 25, 2012 4:43pm |
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A ride on the fastest train in the world
I took a ride on the Maglev Train in Shanghai. The trip was short, only lasting less than 15 minutes. The train uses magnetic levitation technology to get people from town to the airport in record...
3 | February 2, 2011 4:00am |
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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 |
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China unveils world's fastest bullet train: 262 mph
China officially unveiled the world's fastest train in operation, a silver bullet that can cover 126 miles in 45 minutes and top out at 262 miles per hour.
21 | October 28, 2010 2:30pm |
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The fledgling flight of a plane which goes from London to NY in one hour
An aircraft that can bolt from London to New York in one hour is being prepared for its fledgling flight.
25 | August 13, 2012 12:04pm |
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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 |
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Amtrak lands $450 million to boost Acela to 160 mph
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Amtrak with $450 million to upgrade rail infrastructure between New York and Washington.
16 | May 10, 2011 11:55am |
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Amtrak promises high-speed and better business to get back on track
In a recent review of Amtrak's business model, the firm says it will improve its business model and that "high-speed rail will be coming."
2 | November 29, 2012 8:48am |
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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 |
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California high-speed rail, derailed: $98.5 billion, 2033 completion
California's high-speed rail system will now cost twice as much to build, take 13 years longer than planned and offer fares for almost double the original estimate. Is America's HSR dream dead?
32 | November 2, 2011 6:53am |
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Q&A: Europe's world-class innovation in sustainability (and why the U.S. is falling behind)
SmartPlanet speaks with award-winning author Chris Turner about his observations of European environmental innovation and why the U.S. ought to catch up.
9 | April 30, 2012 5:33pm |
