China launches its fastest bullet train

http://www.timesofearth.com/ China's fastest train went into operation today in China, making the 125-mile trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou in 45 minutes, thanks to a cruising speed of 220 miles per hour.

The silver, bullet-nosed trains, which look more like jets than rail cars, are part of a huge wave of infrastructure building that has accompanied China's growth. "Still in the works: more nuclear power plants, a gargantuan project to pump river water from the fertile south to the arid north, and a $32.5 billion, 820-mile (1,300-kilometer) Beijing-to-Shanghai high-speed railway that is scheduled to open in 2012," NPR reports.

Here in the United States, where the American love affair with the automobile continues, there's been plenty of talk about creating high-speed trains but not much action. Amtrak offers a service called Acela from New York to Boston and Washington, but it's not that much faster than its regular trains (though the cost is two-to-four times as much per ticket). Those trains can run up to 150 miles per hour, though they often travel at lesser speeds.

In Florida, a Tampa-to-Orlando bullet train is being planned, and experts believe that will be the first true high-speed train to be completed. That train will travel at a speed of up to 168 miles per hour.

And in California this summer, officials held a photo opp groundbreaking for what they billed as the first high-speed rail station in the United States. That station will be ready in 2017, though it's sure to open before any high-speed train is rolling. California may see itself as a home for innovation and creatively, but it's also the land of huge budget deficits and angry voters.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

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• opens
• super
• fast
• rail
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• train

[dlobrown8888]

@sierracuban What has anything got to do with communism. It is how you run the country you moron! China proves it.

[CelestialEmpire1]

@fdoca 416 was history long time ago, now is 502

[joji64theninja]

@songchao528 so how many hours of propaganda do you watch everyday to actually believe what you just said?

[songchao528]

@fhghggofg only the moron like you believe it, we chinese never brag coz we only need to develope to the top of the world.

[fhghggofg]

Got to love this the Chinese have over 130 billion to spend on high speed railways but yet they claim they are still a third world county and can't pay there people more then 2 dollars a day!!!!!!

[songchao528]

@lewisaustin74 close ur fuck asshole, you are only a loser, china industry is 2 times than usa( United Shit Asshole) does they have industry? 15% american are jobless ,where is the industryn ? china is taking over usa soon and ur small dogs of usa will lose dog food at all, america destroy china in hour? you cheat youself, we beat USA shit out both in korea war and vietnam war, we can also fight america to stone age in hour, they want to suicide like you retarded bitch?

[lewisaustin74]

@songchao528 shut ur fucking mouth ur cars are death traps and ur communist sucky country sucks america is the leading industry country and makes the best things on earth dumb ass the only reason american companies make retarded chines people make their things is because ur government forces u to work for free and usa could destroy china in one hour

[akltom]

@songchao528 maybe we don't... you fucking jap dog, eat your nuclear shit~ :) maybe after another 20 years, all fucking japs will walk with four legs...

[ifhss]

@songchao528 Isn't Nissan Japanese?

[chankins4]

I like how they add in the details "cruising" speed...it won't be a such cruise when that train has a malfunction or any type of wreck. It will be like Hancock on PcP stopping the train! NOT GOOD.

[UraeusAnkhAmon]

@YuDumPhuck Yes, getting stuck in traffic is so wonderful, plus you contribute to global warming and make the world a living hell, besides who the fuck farts in their car, it will smell like shit. Compared to the relaxing journey of a high speed train, you just sit back and relax and get food and drinks*, with a community that you can talk to.

*Only in first class, which is a fair comparement.

[walle1999]

@JapanIncorporated u mad bro?