How do you feel about this? Maybe I can help direct your opinions one way or another by providing you with some facts.
- There will be 17,000 miles of track.
- Building the HSR system will create millions of jobs.
- Job creation will help to boost our economy.
- The system will help to reduce congestion on the roadways especially during the holiday and vacation seasons.
- Less vehicle travel means less emissions.
- The HSR will be powered by electricity and will provide "sustainable, affordable and safe mobility."
- The trains will go 220+ mph connecting all of the major cities, and 110mph trains connecting smaller cities and towns together.
USHSR plans to complete the system in four phases, starting installation in the bigger busier cities first and moving on to connect those corridors over time.
Problems that must be addressed:
How can the trains be made lighter in order to travel faster?
- Steel is too heavy for high speed trains, but it is what is used to make the conventional trains in use today.
- The weight of a train is an issue in getting the train up to speed and in stopping distances.
- Aluminium is the first choice, and is the same material that is used to build airplanes.
- Instead of one large locomotive engine in the front of the train, there could be several smaller electric engines under the floor of the train.
In order to run the super high speeds, the train must be set on special rails. This was discussed in my previous blog under "Railroad Materials and Such..." Most regular rails used to support regular trains consist of several rows of bars that are welded together and create too many joints for the HSR to travel on. So there are rails that are made special in some factories that are almost the size of 1 football field!
This is only the tip of the iceburg being uncovered when it comes to HSR systems. Is the US ready for it? What do you think?
