The STEM of High-Speed Trains by Derek Miller

Author:Derek Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC
Published: 2020-07-03T00:00:00+00:00

THINK ON YOUR OWN

Why is it a problem when high-speed trains share railway tracks with slower trains?

Japan is home to the world’s first high-speed, or bullet, train system.

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CREATING HIGH-SPEED TRAINS

The first high-speed rail system was built in Japan. It’s called the Shinkansen. Americans call this type of train a bullet train because it goes fast, like a bullet shot out of a gun. Opening in 1964, it carried passengers at speeds of up to 130 miles (210 km) per hour. The Shinkansen soon linked cities across Japan. Today, Shinkansen trains reach speeds of 200 miles (320 km) per hour! Many people like these trains because traveling now takes much less time.

Trains and Cities

Trains are a very good way to move large numbers of people. They use less energy than cars or airplanes. This is because many people can fit in a train car.

The downside of trains is that they must follow a track. That’s why they’re best used in cities and to connect cities that are close to one another. When cities are very spread out, the way many American cities are, trains are less useful. It’s easier for people to drive their car if they live far from a city.

Passenger trains are a slower way to travel over a long distance than planes. It’s not a big problem if freight takes days to arrive, but people want to go fast. Many people would rather fly across the United States in less than a day than take a train for many days. This is why trains aren’t as useful in very large countries.

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