posted
Let's just say America had high speed lines similar to the Bullet train or the TGV. How long would it take to go from NY to LA? NY to FL? NY to CHI? The Shinkansen Nozomi, Japan's fastest train, makes the 634 mile trip from Tokyo to Fukuoka in about 5 hours.
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
My question is, will the scenery be as scenic to see if the trains go so fast???
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'd hazard a guess that, depending on routing, NYC - CHI would be 6 hours.....maybe 7., NYC-MIA in maybe 10-11 hours. Won't even hazard a guess on NYC-LAX as it would not be a same day trip.
Scenery? It's still possible to take in the scenery without discomfort in the neighborhood of 135 to 150mph on the three 'high speed' trains I have experienced firsthand. Those would be Amtrak's Acela and then the Swedish X2000 and the German ICE which both tested on the Northeast Corridor when I was in graduate school at Maryland in the early 1990's.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
When I took Eurostar from London to Paris, the scenery was beautiful and the speed did not detract from the views. But one thing that scared the bejeezus out of me was when I was staring out the window and we suddenly passed another Eurostar going in the opposite direction. The "whoosh" and the speed are incredible at that point.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
Stop by my website: Streamliner Schedules - Historic timetables of the great trains of the past! Posts: 413 | From: Houston, Texas | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
I get your point which you make here and on the thread about Indian trains. I've travelled on the TGV and as long as the scenery isn't too close, the speed is not a factor. So, for example, if the Empire Builder is speeding through eastern Montana or North Dakota, you might not miss much. On the other hand, maybe the Capitol Limited route is better appreciated at a slower pace.
posted
I remember taking the TGV from Paris to Geneva and the speed was not an issue when it came to 'taking away' from the beauty of the scenery. And man, what a ride.
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
IIRC the TGV to Geneva travels at high speeds only as far as Dijon. The rest of the journey is on the old line. I don't suppose there'll ever be high-speed long distance trains here.
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by dns8560: IIRC the TGV to Geneva travels at high speeds only as far as Dijon. The rest of the journey is on the old line. I don't suppose there'll ever be high-speed long distance trains here.
About 165 of the 250 miles then? Better to have experienced the TGV at high speeds even for that short a distance than to have never experienced it at all. I'm glad I got the opportunity.
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
Now, factor in to that rate of advance a 20 minute station stop every 200 miles
1000 mile journey increases to 10 hours
2000 mile jouney increases to 20 hours
3000 mile journey increases to 30 hours.
Note the term average rate of advance. It's not the peak speed that matters in transportation; it's the distance from A-B divided by the time taken to get there.
-------------------- The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thank dns8560 I often thought of starting a thread like this, especially for New York - Chicago, And New York - Atlanta, or Montreal.
Posts: 498 | From: New Hope, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks for those timings, Pullman. Does freight use the Chunnel and TGV lines?
-------------------- Everybody has to believe in something. I believe I'll take the train! Posts: 230 | From: Ithaca, New York | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think freight runs thru the chunnel at night. I saw a show once about a freight train fire in the tunnel once so I think it does.
Posts: 465 | From: elgin (s-line) | Registered: Dec 2008
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
