Dear MEL Topic Readers,
When something goes wrong at 186 mph: Inside the fast-reaction world of
high-speed train drivers
High-speed rail (HSR) is a rail transport network that runs trains at
speeds of over 200 km/h on upgraded tracks and 250 km/h or faster on dedicated
tracks. The first HSR, the Shinkansen, appeared in Japan in 1964. Now, China
has the world’s longest operational network of 50,000 km, followed by Spain’s 4,000
km, France’s 3,500 km, Germany’s 3,300 km, and Japan's 3,000 km network, all at
a top speed of 300 km/h or faster. Despite their punishingly fast speeds, HSEs
are safer than any other mass transport. For example, Japan’s 62-year-old Shinkansen
network has had no operational derailment accident but two, both of which were
caused by major earthquakes. However, accidents will happen. Last month, a Madrid-bound
high-speed train derailed in Spain, killing 45 and injuring nearly 300. Then
what is it like to design, build, operate, maintain, and drive such high-speed
mass transport trains?
Read the article and learn about the world of HSR.
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