High-speed Train Coming to California
Thursday, April 9th, 2009
Traveling around the globe on the rails of the trains has been an exotic way to see the world. The trains give travelers a chance to see the countryside, sit back and enjoy the trip and relax in comfort. Unlike traveling by plane or bus, the train provides freedom to stretch out and enjoy the trip.Now the trains are picking up speed. There are currently around 16,000 miles of new, high-speed rail service in the works for the near future. Many of the regions already offer a number of high-speed trips. Travelers can still enjoy the experience of riding the rails, but at a fraction of the time that traditional trains might take.
Trains have been utilized for passenger travel since the 1800's. At that time the trains would speed along at around 16 mph. The advancement in air travel and automotive travel made the train a dinosaur in the 20th century.
High speed trains began to hit the rails in the 1970's. Today the trains can sprint down the tracks at around 300 mph. This makes them as fast as air, faster than automotive and often more convenient than both.
Train travel is still more popular in Europe and Asia than in the United States. The high-speed trains require different tracks than the traditions trains. These locomotives move so fast that they literally fly over the tracks. Super conductors propel the trains down the tracks at the breakneck speeds.
California is planning a high-speed train for travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There is also talk that some of the stimulus money that was recently approved by the federal government could go to the development of more high-speed travel through out the United States.
For now, Europe and Asia are the best places to experience the high-speed train experience.
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