High Speed Rail Corporation inaugurated - in India

[jis]

http://newindianexpress.com/business/news/High-Speed-Rail-Corporation-of-India-launched/2013/10/29/article1862587.ece

India just created a High Speed Rail Corporation to manage the raising of speeds on 7 intercity trunk routes to 125mph (200kph). So looks like even India will now proceed to beat the US in LD train speeds.

 

[Nathanael]

*sigh*

Worth noting: the distance from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, one of the planned routes mentioned, is 330 miles. That's roughly the same distance as Chicago to Cleveland, but much more difficult terrain.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Note that in China, they've built a HSR line from Beijing to Guangzhou, a distance of 1428 miles, which runs in 8 hours. That's the distance from New York to Miami. That's an average speed of 179 mph, now that's FAST!

 

[Texan Eagle]

http://newindianexpress.com/business/news/High-Speed-Rail-Corporation-of-India-launched/2013/10/29/article1862587.ece

India just created a High Speed Rail Corporation to manage the raising of speeds on 7 intercity trunk routes to 125mph (200kph). So looks like even India will now proceed to beat the US in LD train speeds.

This is exactly what I have been suggesting since a long time now, glad someone in power finally thinks that way- instead of aiming to directly hit 350 km/hr true high speed rail when existing trains barely touch 130-150 km/hr, the logical solution is to go step by step and first increase speeds on existing tracks to 160-200 km/hr.

The same can be true for the US too, improving speeds from 79mph to 110-125 mph on LD routes itself will make train travel competitive, or in many cases faster, than driving, and comparable to flying times for shorter segments. 200-250mph HSR dreams can wait.

 

[Texan Eagle]

Note that in China, they've built a HSR line from Beijing to Guangzhou, a distance of 1428 miles, in only 8 hours. That's the distance from New York to Miami. That's an average speed of 179 mph, now that's FAST!

Making things like these requires a government that does not take NO for an answer. Fortunately or unfortunately, India, like the US, is still a very functional democracy and getting land to construct new dedicated right-of-way, overcome noise pollution etc in wake of opposition is time consuming and costly. Needless to say, due to this, true HSR projects sit in limbo forever (see: CAHSR)

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Note that in China, they've built a HSR line from Beijing to Guangzhou, a distance of 1428 miles, in only 8 hours. That's the distance from New York to Miami. That's an average speed of 179 mph, now that's FAST!

Making things like these requires a government that does not take NO for an answer. Fortunately or unfortunately, India, like the US, is still a very functional democracy and getting land to construct new dedicated right-of-way, overcome noise pollution etc in wake of opposition is time consuming and costly. Needless to say, due to this, true HSR projects sit in limbo forever (see: CAHSR)

I was just throwing that out there, it's a great achievement in the world of HSR, which is usually based around short trips between large cities close together.

Worthy of note is that this HSR has no overnight trains with sleepers, all trains run by day with seating only. If they ran an overnight train with sleepers, it would surely be very popular. I thought China had Sleeper HSR trainsets.

 

[caravanman]

I assume that this "corporation" is an enhanced part of the existing national rail services, and not a private initiative? Given the death toll of around 15,000 per annum on Indian railways, one hopes that there will be publicity given to the added dangers of higher train speeds to pedestrians. One also hopes that masala chai will still be available from illegal vendors!

Ed

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I assume that this "corporation" is an enhanced part of the existing national rail services, and not a private initiative? Given the death toll of around 15,000 per annum on Indian railways, one hopes that there will be publicity given to the added dangers of higher train speeds to pedestrians. One also hopes that masala chai will still be available from illegal vendors!

Ed

I think they will construct high fences to stop pedestrians and animals from getting on the tracks. They will probably build it more like an highway than a railway. Most new HSR is built like that.

 

[Texan Eagle]

I think they will construct high fences to stop pedestrians and animals from getting on the tracks. They will probably build it more like an highway than a railway. Most new HSR is built like that.

Did you read the article jis linked? The plan of Indian HSR is not to build new dedicated high speed right of way, rather the interim plan is to first increase maximum permitted speed from 130 km/hr to 160-200 km/hr on the same tracks, similar to Amtrak's NEC where slow commute trains, NE Regionals and "high speed" Acela Express all use the same tracks. So likely the precautionary measures will also be similar to NEC- add fences, add warnings.. not completely isolate entire right of way.

 

[chakk]

Note that in China, they've built a HSR line from Beijing to Guangzhou, a distance of 1428 miles, in only 8 hours. That's the distance from New York to Miami. That's an average speed of 179 mph, now that's FAST!

Now that is absolutely AMAZING that the Chinese were able to build a new rail line in only 8 hours! :giggle:

 

[Bob Dylan]

Wow, A True World Record for Construction that Beats the Contracted Completion Date! (Of course in China people can be Forced to Work @ Gun Point for Free!! <_< )

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I think they will construct high fences to stop pedestrians and animals from getting on the tracks. They will probably build it more like an highway than a railway. Most new HSR is built like that.

Did you read the article jis linked? The plan of Indian HSR is not to build new dedicated high speed right of way, rather the interim plan is to first increase maximum permitted speed from 130 km/hr to 160-200 km/hr on the same tracks, similar to Amtrak's NEC where slow commute trains, NE Regionals and "high speed" Acela Express all use the same tracks. So likely the precautionary measures will also be similar to NEC- add fences, add warnings.. not completely isolate entire right of way.

Yes, I understand, but the article also said they want to run HSR at up to 350 kph, which would most definately require new right-of-way and "interstate" construction with elevated sections in cities, total grade separation, and lots of concrete pillars.

Note that in China, they've built a HSR line from Beijing to Guangzhou, a distance of 1428 miles, in only 8 hours. That's the distance from New York to Miami. That's an average speed of 179 mph, now that's FAST!

Now that is absolutely AMAZING that the Chinese were able to build a new rail line in only 8 hours! :giggle:

:help:

 

[George Harris]

People always tend to forget that the Chinese had been expanding their existing railroad network when they started building high speed lines, so they were already building railroads at a fairly good pace when they started into the HSR game. In many ways a high speed railroad is much like an ordinary railroad, except obviously a much straighter alignment, and track and such built to much tighter tolerances.

As said there is also the difference in government. While we may think the US government tends to ignore the will of the people, thin what it could be like if they never had to face election.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Do note that the Chinese are also in a highway-building and airport-building frenzy, so their HSR lines often look like Interstates with rails and their HSR terminals are sometimes outside of downtown, similar to airports. I'm wondering if India will do something similar.

I found this picture, dosen't it look like an Interstate? http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/5230156957_3154a89bfd_b.jpg