tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post2656910991348582115..comments2023-04-27T03:19:55.560-07:00Comments on Reason & Rail: Why high speed rail isn't a ridiculous fantasyPaul Drucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01856513230667005087noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-80297309559545928952013-02-28T15:40:45.620-08:002013-02-28T15:40:45.620-08:00If we're being pedantic, this isn't the fa...If we're being pedantic, this isn't the fastest "normal" service in the UK - Euston to Glasgow typically averages 89 mph, King's Cross to Edinburgh typically averages 90 mph.<br /><br />You can squeeze slightly more speed out of it if you remove nearly all the stops. There is one a day that stops only at Preston and averages 97 mph. The average from Euston to Warrington non-stop is about 105 mph; the same applies to the fastest non-stop runs from King's Cross to York.<br /><br />None of this is genuine "high speed" of course, and all of this comes at the cost of ruining the service to other towns on the route to squeeze out every possible minute of savings.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-72778709666907961412013-02-26T00:16:43.091-08:002013-02-26T00:16:43.091-08:00Faster average speed service for 125mph I know of ...Faster average speed service for 125mph I know of is the Pendos on Manchester-London, 88mph average speed.<br /><br />Meanwhile on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, the "stopping" trains that stop every 20 miles manage average speeds of over 100mph.Edmund Irelandhttp://manchester.ac.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-43912110002621967212013-02-25T10:58:46.897-08:002013-02-25T10:58:46.897-08:00I agree that maximum speeds are not as important a...I agree that maximum speeds are not as important as connectivity and reliability, but I don't think it's accurate to say that trains running at 110-125mph are only a few minutes slower than the 200mph trains. You really can't get a 110-125mph train to average a higher stop to stop service speed than 80mph, perhaps 85, but Paris-Lyon sees average speeds of 132mph.Paul Drucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01856513230667005087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-841783646767776592013-02-25T07:29:56.603-08:002013-02-25T07:29:56.603-08:00Maximum speeds are not as important as connectivit...Maximum speeds are not as important as connectivity and reliability. Now-abuilding for the Midwest and California are the next generation of California Corridor cars, capable of 110 mph plus operation. A coach seats approximately 100 people on two levels, thus a relatively short rake exceeds the capacity of an Acela or one of the French sets, and ten coaches plus a food service car or two and a business class car matches the French capacity, while taking up less platform space (a major issue in the Midwest, where stations away from the Chicago suburban zone, where twelve-car scoots are common, have short platforms). Trains running at 110-125 or so are only a few minutes slower, stop-to-stop, than the 200 mph European trains, and require a lot less by way of track and signalling.Stephen Karlsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02945914425504935287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-60111122806149651992013-02-24T04:50:31.574-08:002013-02-24T04:50:31.574-08:00Indeed in Britain and many other countries the sch...Indeed in Britain and many other countries the schedules of overnight trains (what few remain that is, thanks to HSR popping up all over the placE) is deliberately slowed down.<br /><br />I recently took the "Night Riviera" from London to St. Erth (second to last stop) and it was full to capacity despite the fact that the train sits stationary for rather long lengths of time and despite it being routed over any available route depending on engineering works.<br />The only reason it is not longer is because it is now as long as the platforms at its country-terminus (non London) will take without horrifically difficult shunt moves.<br /><br />Once you haev a high speed line, you can potentially make the Chicago-NY run in four hours, and cover the Chicago-LA run in one night.<br />Edmund Irelandhttp://manchester.ac.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-67537267318082495692013-02-20T12:47:10.450-08:002013-02-20T12:47:10.450-08:00High speed trains have a time advantage on relativ...High speed trains have a time advantage on relatively short corridors, but regular speed trains can also have an advantage with overnight trips of 8-12 hours, because you're sleeping while you travel and not wasting useful time. They're not more popular in Europe for the simple reason that trains tend to be run by national railroads, and most countries aren't quite bit enough to cross in 8 hours if the train runs at 125 mph.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-56206842494599086962013-02-13T00:13:27.496-08:002013-02-13T00:13:27.496-08:00Train advocates don't send him money.Train advocates don't send him money.Walterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13874026678182258548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7903937763350788308.post-59873572530843519262013-02-11T08:15:44.746-08:002013-02-11T08:15:44.746-08:00At this point, we can say this of Randall O'To...At this point, we can say this of Randall O'Toole: He Hate Trains. I'd swear it's beyond the professional, to the psychological. What did they ever do to him?Steve Stofkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14825368520377993845noreply@blogger.com