European Rail: A rail renaissance for Europe – by Lena Donat

The climate crisis is forcing us to rethink the way we travel and transport goods. The European Union can only reach its climate-neutrality target if transport emissions drop.

We cannot go back to pre-pandemic transport patterns; rather, we should use the dislocation to reinvent mobility in Europe. Luckily, we do not need to reinvent the wheel. Rail is the cleanest and most reliable means of long-distance transport and we can build on the railway network constructed over two centuries in Europe, turning rail again into the backbone of a sustainable system.

Read more at: A rail renaissance for Europe – Lena Donat

Germany: World′s first hydrogen train rolls out in Germany

 Commuters in Germany now have a chance to ride the world's first hydrogen train as the country moves to replace old diesel-powered engines. Instead of exhaust fumes, hydrogen trains produce only water.

A French-made hydrogen train took its first scheduled trip from the station of Bremervörde in Lower Saxony on Monday, marking a world first for the new transport technology.

Two Coradia iLint engines will replace diesel trains on the 100-kilometer (62-mile) route linking the towns of Cuxhaven and Buxtehude, with 14 other hydrogen trains set to be introduced across the state by 2021. The new-type engines are produced by the French company Alstom.

"The world's first hydrogen train is entering into commercial service and is ready for serial production," Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge said during the unveiling ceremony in Bremervörde, which will serve as a refueling site.

The new trains carry a hydrogen tank and fuel cells on the roof, and produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. Excess energy is stored in ion lithium batteries. The engines can run for around 1,000 kilometers without refueling and reach a maximum speed 140 kilometers per hour (87 miles per hour), similar to diesel trains.

Read more: World′s first hydrogen train rolls out in Germany | News | DW | 17.09.2018

Railroads: Magnetic trains: Attracting interest in Japan - by Anmar Frangoul

A nation with technology at its heart, Japan is already home to a dizzying array of high tech gadgets, gleaming skyscrapers and even restaurants staffed by robots.

When it comes to transport the country can also boast a proud record of innovation. Its Shinkansen network is famous for electrified, high-speed -- and safe -- train travel.

 5.6 billion people between Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka at top speeds of 285 kilometers per hour (177 miles per hour).

On parts of the Tohuku Shinkansen, which runs between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori, trains can reach speeds  of up to 320 kph.

In April last year a Maglev – short for magnetic levitation – reached a top speed of 603 kilometers per hour (375 mph). 

"The Maglev train works thanks to superconducting magnets mounted into the linear motor train, reacting to the coils built into the guide way," the Yamanashi Maglev Exhibition Center's Makiko Kajiwara, said.

"They create a magnetic force that lifts the train 10 cm off the ground while it moves," Kajiwara added.

According to the Maglev Exhibition Center, the linear Chuo Shinkansen "will be the fastest bullet train in the world." It is hoped that the line will go into operation on the Tokyo-Nagoya route in 2027.

"The Maglev would emit a third of CO2 emitted by a plane for the same distance. So it's a very environmentally friendly transport solution," Kajiwara said.

Read more: Magnetic trains: Attracting interest in Japan: Anmar Frangoul

Transportation: Europe by train: Relive the past, discover the future

European trains are fast and convenient (Rail Europe)

Many Americans think of renting a car when considering their transportation needs in Europe, but in recent decades, trains have become a strong alternative.

The master Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen wrote that “to travel is to live” and the famed novelist Somerset Maugham stated that “the good traveler has the gift of surprise.”

They could not have been more accurate, for no



matter how often you travel, every journey  is unique — an opportunity that unwraps an array of adventures.

Trains recall a golden age when a pair of rails were a pathway to discovery; parallel lines converging in the distance, momentarily unified in a time and place that is a carousel of sights and sounds.

Rails speak to us. They echo glimpses of the past as they whisper visions of the future. The nostalgic bygone era when giant steam locomotives chugged through the countryside with the clickety-clack of steel against steel, and the haunting sounds of lonesome whistles in the night, has given way to modern, streamlined machines that streak across the landscape. And yet trains somehow remain suspended in time, evoking feelings of romance and adventure.

Not only are the trains of today fast and efficient, they bring depth to the travel experience and their destinations that is difficult to find in other forms of travel.
Planes fly over countries. Trains pass through them.

Read more: Europe by train: Relive the past, discover the future | Communities Digital News

Railways - In numbers: Europe's high-speed trains are on track

A French TGV High Speed Train

For a complete review of the European high-speed rail system which is continuously expanding click on the link below.

Contrary to the US, where hi-speed trains are somewhat of a controversy, in Europe it is vigorously supported by both the Private and Public sectors.

To view the complete report click here: In numbers: Europe's high-speed trains - CNN.com

Highspeed Rail: Trains fly on Beijing-Shanghai railway

Like a main artery, the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway connects the heart of China with its vital areas. The 1,318-km link, starting from Beijing and ending at Shanghai, chains together the prosperous Pan-Bohai and Yangtze River Delta economic zones, speeding up the movement of people, goods, information and capital. 

At a speed of 300 kmph, the Electric Multiple Units (EMU), independently developed and manufactured by Chinese locomotive giants of CSR and CNR, are flying like a bullet, making it possible to make a return trip within a single day between the two cities.

“The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway is a national pride,” said He Huawu, chief engineer of the Ministry of Railways, recently.

For more: The Hindu : News / International : Trains fly on Beijing-Shanghai railway

Railroads: German Siemens Velaro High-Speed Train Coming to Florida

Siemens announced plans to present its vision of U.S. high-speed rail to the people of Florida with its "Future of Florida High-Speed Rail Tour," a traveling exhibit featuring a full-sized model of the Siemens Velaro high-speed train. The tour kicks off Oct. 7, 2010 with a special VIP event at Tampa's MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry).Siemens today announced plans to present its vision of U.S. high-speed rail to the people of Florida with its "Future of Florida High-Speed Rail Tour," a traveling exhibit featuring a full-sized model of the Siemens Velaro high-speed train. The tour kicks off Oct. 7, 2010 with a special VIP event at Tampa's MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry).

For more: Siemens Velaro High-Speed Train Coming to Florida -- TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/

Freep: Make tracks in Europe - by Ellen Creager

For the complete report from the Detroit Free Press click on this link

Europe's fast trains are pure pleasure. The confusing part for Americans is figuring out the logistics of riding them. How do you get a ticket, and should you buy it in advance? What's the difference between a fast train and a regular train? How do you find the right station and track? Where do you stand on the platform? How do you get your ticket punched? There basically are two kinds of trains in Europe -- regular and high-speed. Confusingly, each country's high-speed service is called by a different name. The Belgians have Thalys (pronounced TAL-is). The British have Eurostar. The French have TGV. The Spanish have AVE, and so on. All of them are very, very fast. Most speed along at 300 kilometers (186 miles) per hour -- about 100 m.p.h. faster than poky U.S. trains.

Internet Retailer/EU-Digest: Rail Europe drives up web sales with new content-heavy travel site

For the complete report from InternetRetailer.com click on this link

Rail Europe drives up web sales with new content-heavy travel site

After chugging along for years with a basic web site used only to book rail tickets and passes, Rail Europe is on the fast track to online sales growth after relaunching its site as a content-rich travel portal designed with analytics to learn visitors’ travel preferences. Despite the global economic downturn and a drop in consumer travel, Rail Europe’s online sales in April and May rose 6.5% over the same period last year, says Frederick Buhr, vice president of e-business. The increase in sales came despite an 11% year-over-year drop in the number of online visitors during Rail Europe’s peak April-to-July season, showing the relaunched site’s strength in a down economy at a time when business at many travel sites is down, Buhr says.

Note EU-Digest : Last November, RailEurope.com relaunched with several hundred pages of new travel-related content tied to the 32 railroads and countries that Rail Europe serves.

Netherlands - New Fyra high speed ( 250 KMper hr) trains to link Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels - Paris

EU-Digest

Netherlands - New Fyra high speed ( 250 KMper hr) trains to link Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels - Paris

The high-speed train that travels at up to 250 km/h will go into service on the Amsterdam –Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels and Amsterdam – Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – Rotterdam – Breda route. The high-speed trains will be built by AnsaldoBreda in Italy. The test runs of the prototype train will start on the HSL-South in the Netherlands and the L4 high-speed line in Belgium. NS(Dutch Rail) Hispeed has ordered 16 Fryda trains.

With the new trains, the journey from Amsterdam to Brussels will take just 1 hour 46 minutes, from Amsterdam to Rotterdam – 36 minutes, Rotterdam to Paris – 2.5 hours and the journey from Rotterdam to Schiphol will take 20 minutes. NS (Dutch Rail) Hispeed will begin service on the HSL-Zuid even before the Fyra has completed its testing programme. Starting in the autumn of 2009, Traxx locomotives pulling Intercity carriages are expected to be running under the name of Fyra on the HSL-Zuid at a speed of 160 km/h. These Traxx trains will be replaced by Fyra high-speed trains that travel at 250 km/h as soon as the testing program has been completed.

NS (Dutch Rail) Hispeed is the operating name of High Speed Alliance, which is owned 90% by NS and 10% by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. NS Hispeed will be a Dutch umbrella brand for high speed train operations, including Thalys, ICE International, TGV, Eurostar and Fyra. NS Hispeed expects to carry 26·4 million passengers in 2011. Around 18·4 million of these will be on domestic services, including a 35% share of the Amsterdam - Rotterdam market.