Working rail roads and their tracks.

[BravoXray]

From Trains magazine:

On April 3, 2007, French National Railways, SNCF, engineer Eric Pieczak releases the brakes on an Alstom-built TGV train. The five-car train begins to roll along the new Ligne a Grande Vitesse Est European, the sixth high-speed line in France. Code-named V150, the train is on a special run attempting to set a world speed record. As speed climbs past 200 kilometers per hour, then 300 and 400 km/h, the trees, fields, roads, sky, and spectators lining the closed right-of-way become a blur of color to the guests aboard the train, which is heading west toward Paris. At kilometer marker 220, the speedometer flashes 500 km/h. A few seconds later loud cheers erupt on board when 515 km/h appears on the speedometer screen. This was the previous world record. V150 is still, however, accelerating. When the special TGV comes to a halt at the Champagne-Ardenne station flowing champagne greets the passengers and crew. They had indeed set a new world rail speed record. At kilometer marker 193.3 the speedometer topped out at 574.8 km/h or 357.16 mph.

And, for the record, V150 stands for 150 meters per second or 540 km/h (5.6 miles per minute) — the speed they were hoping to reach.

 

[California]

... topped out at 574.8 km/h or 357.16 mph.

Wow! From hitting the record, only 4 minutes more to pick up another 20 mph. (numbers approximate!).

Overpowered?! I wonder how fast it could go ultimately with even better track and power input.

 

[MossRoad]

 

[California]

Wow. Sounds like they ran out of safe high speed track to test on, rather than any limit within to the train.

 

[MossRoad]

The thing that creeps me out about a 350 mph land or water vehicle is if something big goes wrong, you're gonna die. I feel safer at high speed in an aircraft.

Conversely, a land vehicle can coast to stop if power is lost. An aircraft usually only has one chance to land, and finding a suitable place isn't always possible.

High speed passenger trains, while pretty awesome, would have to be done right, if done in the US.
- No grade crossings.
- Fully fenced and secure corridors.
- And huge subsidies because it's so expensive a private company could not possibly make a profit through ticket sales.

 

[California]

The thing that creeps me out about a 350 mph land or water vehicle is if something big goes wrong, you're gonna die.

The Japanese bullet trains somehow aren't crashed by the frequent earthquakes there. There's something in the project design to bring then to a safe stop.

 

[MossRoad]

The Japanese bullet trains somehow aren't crashed by the frequent earthquakes there. There's something in the project design to bring then to a safe stop.

Just a matter of time.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Trains

 

[ArlyA]

This bridge located in Lethbridge AB. Canada, the Lethbridge High Level bridge was built in 1907-1909 at a length of 1,624 meters, and a height of 95 meters

 

[MossRoad]

Yikes!

(I'm not fond of heights)