Fasted Wheeled Train
Apr 3

Fasted Wheeled Train

France breaks world speed record for rail trains: This is impressive, but I’m still a little freaked out about going that fast on the ground. We’ve talked about this before — there’s just too much stuff to run into.

A French train with a 25,000-horsepower engine and special wheels broke the world speed record Tuesday for conventional rail trains, reaching 357.2 mph as it zipped through the countryside to the applause of spectators.

Roaring like a jet plane, with sparks flying overhead and kicking up a long trail of dust, the black and chrome V150 with three double-decker cars surpassed the record of 320.2 mph set in 1990 by another French train.

It fell short, however, of beating the ultimate record set by Japan’s magnetically levitated train, which hit 361 mph in 2003.

by Deane   April 3, 2007 5:50 PM    |   Follow Gadgetopia on Twitter

Comments

by Peter,   April 4, 2007 3:10 PM  

I've been on a TGV before; the ride is so stable that you couldn't tell how fast you were travelling. It's also unlikely that automobile traffic would intersect TGV tracks (railroad crossing).

by John Hall,   April 4, 2007 7:30 PM  

They must have cow-proof fences along the tracks? (and no auto crossings)

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