High-Speed Train Leaving the Tunnel

About this drawing

A high-speed train can cover hundreds of miles in the time it takes to watch a movie. The story began in Japan in 1964, when a new line opened between Tokyo and Osaka with trains far faster than anything people had ridden before.

Other countries followed. France, Spain, China and many more built networks of their own, and Spain opened its first line between Madrid and Seville in 1992. In the United States, true high-speed rail is still rare, though California has been building a line meant to link its biggest cities.

Going that fast takes more than a strong motor. These trains run on special tracks with gentle curves and no road crossings, and they draw electricity from overhead wires. A long, smooth nose helps slice through the air and cuts the boom that happens when a train rushes into a tunnel.

Tunnels and viaducts, like the arched bridge in the background, are key because they let the line cross mountains and valleys almost in a straight path. For medium-length trips, high-speed rail also produces far less carbon dioxide per passenger than flying or driving.

• high-speed train
• trains
• tunnel
• viaduct
• travel