A

Seminar Report
On

High Speed Trains

By

Abhimanyu Singh Bhati

13EGBME300

Submitted for partial fulfillment of the requirements for award the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
(Mechanical Engineering)
Submitted to-

Mechanical Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Govt Engineering College, Banswara
2015-2016

INDEX
Sr.no
1
2
3
4

Topic

Page No.

Abstract
Introduction
1.1 Definition
1.2 History of HST
Comparison
Requirement of HST
Technology of HST

ii
1
1
2
3
4
5

4.1

(EMS) Electromagnetic Suspension

4.2

(EDS) Electrodynamic Suspension

4.3

Inductrack

5 rinci Principle of Manglav Train

P
6
Comparison Between EMS&EDS
7
Advantages/disadvantages of HST
7.1
Advantages
7.2
Disadvantages
8
High speed rail in India
8.1
Vision
8.2
Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR Project
8.3
Diamond Quadrilateral Project
9
Current HST in India
10
Current HST in world
11
Accident
Conclusion
Reference

8
9
10
10
11
12
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19

ABSTRACT
This report outlines some of the key technologies behind high speed rail operations. It also
highlights some of the costs and benefits of high speed rail and charts the development of
high speed rail in the India, with a focus on current debate about the future development of a
high speed rail network. It goes on to look at the development of high speed rail in other
countries and concludes with a brief outline of the alternative Maglev transport system

Chapter 1
Introduction
When English inventor Richard Trevithick introduced the steam locomotive on 21 February
1804 in Wales, it achieved a speed of 8 km/h (5 mph). In 1815, Englishman George Stephens
built the world's first workable steam locomotive. In 1825, he introduced the first passenger
train, which steamed along at 25 km/h (16 mph). Today, trains can fly down the tracks at 500
km/h (311 mph). And fly they do, not touching the tracks.

1.1.Definition
High speed trains are a type of passenger train travel that functions at a speed much higher
than that of traditional passenger trains. There are different standards of what constitutes high
speed trains based on the trains speed and technology used however. In the European Union,
high speed trains are that which travels 125 miles per hour (200 km/h) or faster, while in the
United States it is those that travel 90 mph (145 km/h) or faster.
Multiple definitions for high-speed rail are in use worldwide.
The European Union Directive 96/48/EC, Annex 1 defines high-speed rail in terms of:
1. Infrastructure: track built specially for high-speed travel or specially upgraded for
high-speed travel.
2. Minimum Speed Limit: Minimum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) on lines specially
built for high speed and of order 200 km/h (124 mph) on existing lines which have
been specially upgraded. This must apply to at least one section of the line. Rolling
stock must have a minimum speed of at least 200 km/h (124 mph) to be considered
high speed.
3. Operating conditions: Rolling stock must be designed alongside its infrastructure for
complete compatibility, safety and quality of service.
The International Union of Railways (UIC) prefers to use "definitions" (plural) because they
consider that there is no single standard definition of high-speed rail, nor even standard usage
of the terms ("high speed", or "very high speed"). They make use of the European EC
Directive 96/48, stating that high speed is a combination of all the elements which constitute
the system: infrastructure, rolling stock and operating conditions. The International Union of
Railways states that high-speed rail is a set of unique features, not merely a train travelling
above a particular speed. Many conventionally hauled trains are able to reach 200 km/h
(124 mph) in commercial service but are not considered to be high-speed trains. These
include the French SNCF Intercits and German DB IC.
National domestic standards may vary from the international ones.

1 | Page

1.2.History of High Speed Trains

Train travel has been a popular form of passenger and freight transport since the early 20th
century. The first high speed trains appeared as early as 1933 in Europe and the U.S. when
streamliner trains were used to transport goods and people at speeds of around 80 mph (130
km/h). In 1939, Italy introduced its ETR 200 train that had routes from Milan to Florence and
was capable of travelling at a top speed of 126 mph (203 km/h). Services and further
development for ETR 200 stopped with the beginning of World War II.
After WWII, high speed trains again became a priority in many countries. It was especially
important in Japan and in 1957; the Romance car 3000 SSE was launched in Tokyo. The
Romance car was a narrow gauge train (a narrower area than 4 feet [1.4 m] across between
the railroads rails) and set a world speed record for its ability to travel 90 mph (145 km/h).
Shortly thereafter in the mid-1960s, Japan introduced the world's first high volume high
speed train that operated with a standard (4 ft) gauge. It was called the Shinkansen and
officially opened in 1964. It provided rail service between Tokyo and Osaka at speeds of
around 135 mph (217 km/h).
The word Shinkansen itself means "new main line" in Japanese but because of the trains
design and speed, they became known around the world as "bullet trains."
After the opening of the bullet trains in Japan, Europe also started developing high capacity
high speed trains in 1965 at the International Transport Fair in Munich, Germany. Several
high speed trains were tested at the fair but Europes high speed rail service was not fully
developed until the 1980s.

On 23 October 1903, the S&H-equipped

Railcar achieved a speed of 206.7 km/h
(128.4 mph) and on 27 October the
AEG- equipped railcar achieved
210.2 km/h (130.6 mph).

Figure 1

The German 1903 record

holder

A Japanese maglev that is the fastest passenger train

in the world The train traveled for just over a mile
(1.8 kilometers) at a speed exceeding 600 kph
(373 mph).

Figure 2

2 | Page

Japanese maglev

Chapter 2
Comparison with conventional trains
Major comparative differences between the two technologies lie in backward-compatibility,
rolling resistance, weight, noise, design constraints, and control systems.
1. Backwards Compatibility
Maglev trains currently in operation are not compatible with conventional track, and
therefore require all new infrastructures for their entire route. By contrast conventional high
speed trains such as the TGV are able to run at reduced speeds on existing rail infrastructure,
thus reducing expenditure where new infrastructure would be particularly expensive(such as
the final approaches to city terminals), or on extensions where traffic does not justify new
infrastructure.
2. Efficiency
Due to the lack of physical contact between the track and the vehicle, maglev trains
experience no rolling resistance, leaving only air resistance and electromagnetic drag,
potentially improving power efficiency.
3. Weight
The weight of the large electromagnets in many EMS and EDS designs is a major design.
4. Noise
Because the major source of noise of a maglev train comes from displaced air, maglev trains
produce lessnoise than a conventional train at equivalent speeds. However, the
psychoacoustic profile of the maglev mayreduce this benefit: A study concluded that maglev
noise should be rated like road traffic while conventionaltrains have a 5-10 dB "bonus" as
they are found less annoying at the same loudness level.
5. Design Comparisons
Braking and overhead wire wear have caused problems for the Fastech 360 railed
Shinkansen. Maglev would eliminate these issues. Magnet reliability at higher temperatures
is a countervailing comparative disadvantage (see suspension types), but new alloys and
manufacturing techniques have resulted in magnets that maintain their levitation force at
higher temperatures.

3 | Page

Chapter 3
High Speed Train Requirements
1. Dedicated tracks
As defined by Europe and UIC, generally the high-speed rail is a set
including a high-speed rolling-stock and a dedicated high-speed line. Japan was the first
nation to build a totally new and dedicated lines and network for its Shinkansen. It was
followed by France, then Germany, Spain, etc. Most countries today with high-speed rail
have dedicated high-speed tracks.
2. Tracks design
Continuous welded rail is generally used to reduce track vibrations and
misalignment. Almost all high-speed lines are electrically driven via overhead cables
Constrictions, such as A-grade crossings, where lines intersect other lines and/or roadways
are eliminated. For this reason, Japan and China typically build their high-speed lines on
elevated viaducts.
3. Road-rail parallel layout
Road Rail Parallel Layout uses land beside highways for
railway lines. Examples include Paris/Lyon and Kln - Frankfurt in which 15% and 70% of
the track runs beside highways, respectively.
4. Track sharing
Sharing a line between fast and slow traffic reduces its maximum carrying
capacity by a very large factor, by forcing much longer intervals between trains at the two
different speeds. Extra tunneling and bridges may be required to construct tracks shared
between high-speed trains and freight trains.
5.

Construction costs
Japanese systems are often more expensive than their counterparts,
because they run on dedicated elevated guide ways, avoid traffic crossings and incorporate
disaster monitoring systems. The largest part of Japan's cost is for boring tunnels through
mountains, as was also true in Taiwan.
In France, the cost of construction (which was 10 million/km (US$15.1 million/km) for
LGV Est) is minimized by adopting steeper grades rather than building tunnels and viaducts.
However, in mountainous Switzerland, tunnels are inevitable. Because the lines are dedicated
to passengers, gradients of 3.5%, rather than the previous maximum of 11.5% for mixed
traffic, are used. More expensive land may be required in order to minimize curves. This
increases speed, reduces construction costs and lowers operating and maintenance costs. In
other countries high-speed rail was built without those economies so that the railway can also
support other traffic, such as freight.

Chapter 4
4 | Page

High Speed Train Technology

High speed trains, also called maglev trains, operate with magnetic levitation technology
developed by Japanese and German engineers. Japanese engineers refer to their method as
electrodynamic suspension while German engineers refer to their method as electromagnetic
suspension. Either way, magnets raise the trains above the track, which means there is no
need for wheels.
The two notable types of maglev technology are:

Electromagnetic suspension (EMS), electronically controlled electromagnets in the

train attracts it to a magnetically conductive (usually steel) track.

Electrodynamic suspension (EDS) uses superconducting electromagnets or strong

permanent magnets that create a magnetic field, which induces currents in nearby
metallic conductors when there is relative movement, which pushes and pulls the train
towards the designed levitation position on the guide way.

Maglev trains work in one of two ways; both methods are based on the same concept but
involve different approaches. German engineers have developed Electromagnetic Suspension
(EMS) while the Japanese engineers have developed Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS), the
newest EDS technology being the inductrack.

Figure 3

Levitation Techniques

Maglev trains need strong magnetic fields, faster changing fields, thicker material with lower
resistivity such as copper, silver, aluminium etc in order to go fast.

4.1

(EMS) Electromagnetic Suspension

Method: Electromagnetic Suspension is based on magnetic attraction; it is very complex and

somewhat unstable.

5 | Page

Figure 4

Working of EMS

How Does It Work?: Electromagnets line the undercarriage of the train, while the track
(seen in this diagram as the guideway) is lined with coils. Because the current is constantly
changing, the polarity of the coils also changes, permitting the system of magnetic fields to
pull and push the train along the guideway. A power source is constantly supplying power to
the electromagnets allowing the interaction between the coils and electromagnets to levitate
the train. The train levitates about 1cm and remains like this even when it's not moving. The
distance is continuously monitored and corrected by computers to avoid accidents. The
guidance magnets on the left of the undercarriage are use to stabilize the train, helping it
avoid hitting the sides while it's moving.
How Fast? These trains can reach speeds up to 438km/h with passengers on board.
On-board Emergency Equipment: EMS trains are equipped with battery power supplies in
case of power failures (trains can suddenly stop levitating and potentially crash), this allows
the train to come to a smooth stop.
Potential Health Risks: Passengers with pacemakers must be careful! The strength of the
magnetic fields that are being produced is believed to interfere and disrupt pacemakers.

4.2

(EDS) Electrodynamic Suspension

Method: Electrodynamic Suspension is based on the repulsion of magnets. The magnetic

levitation force balances the weight of the car at a stable position. It is for this reason that the
EDS system is believed to be safer than the EMS system.
How Does It Work?: Super-cooled superconducting magnets are placed on the train cars
while electromagnetic coils are placed along the track. Superconductors are used because
they can conduct electricity even after the power supply has been shut off (unlike the EMS
system). When the trains get close to the coils a current is induced which allows the train to
levitate about 10 cm and center itself in the middle of the guideway. To get the train moving a
second set of coils are placed along the guidance coils and after the train reaches

6 | Page

Figure 5

Internal of Electrodynamic Suspension

approximately 100km/h the propulsion coils are activated. The electric current that is
constantly changing allows for a change in polarity of the electromagnets which in turn
pushes and pulls the superconducting magnets of the passing train to allocate movement.
Environmentally Friendly?: By chilling the coils using cryogenics engineers are able to
save energy, however the process is very expensive.
How Fast?: These trains can reach speeds up to 522km/h, which is considerably faster than
the EMS trains.
Disadvantage/Advantage: EDS train must roll on rubber wheels until they reach a lift-off
speed of about 100km/h which causes resistance. However having these wheels is an
advantage during a power outage, it allows the train can come to a smooth/safe.

4.3

Inductrack

A power supply is used to accelerate the train until it levitates and if the power fails is can
safely slow down on its auxiliary wheels. The magnets are made from a neodymium-ironboron alloy (creates a bigger magnetic field) and are arranged in a Halbach array,
concentrating the magnetic field above it. The track is an array of short-circuited wires which
create a magnetic field and repels the magnets allowing the train to levitate. These types of
trains levitate higher, (about 2.54 cm) and are much more stable. There are two designs,
Inductrack I which is designed for high speeds and Inductrack II which is designed for slower
speeds.

Figure 6

7 | Page

working of inductntrack

Chapter 5
Principle of Maglev
Maglev is a system in which the vehicle runs levitated from the guideway (corresponding to
the rail tracks of conventional railways) by using electromagnetic forces between
superconducting magnets on board the vehicle and coils on the ground. The following is a
general explanation of the principle of Maglev
1. Principle of magnetic levitation
The "8" figured levitation coils are installed on the
sidewalls of the guideway. When the on-board
superconducting magnets pass at a high speed about several
centimeters below the center of these coils, an electric current
is induced within the coils, which then act as electromagnets
temporarily. As a result, there are forces which push the
superconducting magnet upwards and ones which pull them
upwards simultaneously, thereby levitating the Maglev vehicle.
2. Principle of lateral guidance
The levitation coils facing each other are
connected under the guide way, constituting a loop. When a
running Maglev vehicle, that is a superconducting magnet,
displaces laterally, an electric current is induced in the loop,
resulting in a repulsive force acting on the levitation coils of
the side near the car and attractive force acting on the
levitation coils of the side farther apart from the car. Thus, a
running car is always located at the center of the guideway.
3. Principle of propulsion
A repulsive force and an attractive force
induced between the magnets are used to propel the vehicle
(superconducting magnet). The propulsion coils located on the
sidewalls on both sides of the guideway are energized by a
three-phase alternating current from a substation, creating a
shifting magnetic field on the guideway. The on-board
superconducting magnets are attracted and pushed by the
shifting field, propelling the Maglev vehicle.

8 | Page

Figure 7 Principle of
magnetic levitation

Figure 8 Principle of lateral

guidance

Figure 9 Principle of
propulsion

Chapter 6
Comparison of EMS & EDS
The differences in the EMS & EDS are shown in the table.

Table 1

EMS
Uses conventional electromagnets mounted
at the ends of a pair of structures under the
train. No refrigeration problems.
The electromagnetic structures wrap around
and under either side of the guide way and
provide the undercarriage. The train is
constantly lifted (levitated) off the guide
way.
Uses a paramagnetic basis to operate.
The magnets attract up towards the
laminated iron rails in the guide way and lift
the train. Makes use of attractive forces to
lift the vehicle and reduce friction.

The distance between the electromagnets and

the guide way, which is about 10 mm, must
be continuously monitored and adjusted by
computer to prevent the train from hitting the
guide way. This system is inherently unstable
and would fail without this intervention.

9 | Page

EDS
Uses superconducting magnets, hence there
are refrigeration problems.
System employs an undercarriage like
landing gear for aircraft for lift-off and
landing. The vehicle begins to levitate at
speeds in excess of 40 kmh1 and achieves full
levitation at around 100 kmh1. This may be
of advantage in case of power failure.
Uses a diamagnetic basis to operate.
Uses
the
opposing
force
between
superconducting magnets on the vehicle and
electrically conductive strips or coils in the
guide way to levitate the train. Makes use of
repulsive forces in the electrodynamic
suspension system to lift the vehicle away
from the guide way.
Is stable and does not require the continued
monitoring that the EMS system needs. The
distance between the train and guide way is
around 10 cm.

Chapter 7
Advantages/Disadvantages of High Speed Trains
7.1

Advantages:-

1. Less Smog in the City:While there is still some controversy over which form of transportation is more fuel
efficient, trains or cars, the amount of smog and pollution released into the city is much less
with a high speed train than with the number of cars necessary to transport the same amount
of people.
2. Increased Walkability:Fewer cars in the city centers means more space for people, and the push toward more
walkable cities benefits more than just those who live there.
3. Reduced Dependence on Foreign Oil:A high speed rail network carrying electric trains could be powered (at least in part) by
renewable energy sources, reducing our need for foreign oil, with all of its accompanying
side effects.
4. Safer than Driving:Tens of thousands of people die each year in automobile accidents, but trains are one of
the safest forms of transportation we currently have.
5. Economic Boost :The economic benefits of a high speed train system come from a variety of angles.
From the jobs created to build the network, to the increased productivity which would come
from more efficient use of time (less sitting in traffic jams), to the increased access to
transportation of goods and people for local businesses, high speed trains make economic
sense.
6. More Efficient Use of Time:Riding a train instead of driving frees up your attention and time to focus on the things
you want from getting more work done to getting more downtime to catch up on your
reading. And for trips of less than 400 miles, high speed trains can get you from downtown to
downtown in about the same amount of time that air travel can, at a much lower cost.
7. Reduced Congestion:If you live in a city with horribly congested freeways, you may be spending more time
sitting than you do actually driving. But since a single train track can carry the same amount
of people as a 10 lane highway (and at a fraction of the cost), high speed trains could help
relieve some of that traffic jam angst.
8. Reduced Dependence on Foreign Oil:A high speed rail network carrying electric trains could be powered (at least in part) by
renewable energy sources, reducing our need for foreign oil, with all of its accompanying
side effects.

7.2

Disadvantages:-

1. Airplanes better than high-speed trains for long distances:10 | P a g e

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

"For long distances, the advantage of air travel over the train is obvious. Why would someone
ride a train when one can buy a ticket and fly the same Los Angeles-to- San Francisco route
in half the time for nearly half the proposed high-speed rail fare?"
Too few will ride HSR to have environmental impact:"It won't relieve urban traffic congestion and its contribution to improving air quality (or
reducing carbon dioxide emissions) will be negligible because it won't carry enough riders to
make a big difference."
High-speed rail has greater risk of catastrophic accident:High speed rail, due to the extremely high speeds, is much more likely to result in a
catastrophic accident in the event of some mistake and derailment. While fairly rare, the
magnitude of the potential accident is a major risk surrounding high-speed rail. And, these
risks don't simply apply to the passengers; they also apply to the companies building the rail
systems, which may incur major legal liabilities and share-price setbacks from a major
accident.
Social drawbacks (externalities):The only real externality is the fact that in order to build high speed rail lines the country side
has to be sacrificed. This particular externality applies to all forms of transport however (with
the possible exception of water). Although high speed rail lines do not occupy a large amount
of room, the fact that they have to be straight and level usually involves large amounts of
embankments and cuttings causing considerable disruption to the countryside.
Cost-effectiveness on the basis of pollution control:High initial costs often mean public money has to be used because the private sector is
usually unwilling to engage in such large projects. As a result many would argue that the
money used to build such rail systems would be more effectively spent in other projects if the
primary objectives were to reduce traffic congestion/pollution.
Limitations of high speed rail:High speed rail is only applicable to inter-city services in high density corridors (having said
that connecting trains can deliver people door to door). This means that, in order to work
effectively, high speed rail must be backed up by a decent urban/light rail transit system, as
found in Europe and Japan. Such systems are rarer.
Limitations of geography:High speed railway lines need to be as straight and level as possible. Therefore often the
railways are carried over dips and hills in the countryside by embankments, viaducts, cuttings
and tunnels. (Tunnels are sometimes unsuitable due to wind turbulence problems.) However
these greatly increase the cost of the railway and of course, if the landscape is mountainous
then it becomes very difficult to build it straight and leveled. Naturally, railways cannot be
built over water for long distances.

Chapter 8
High-speed rail in India
8.1

Vision

India has one of the largest rail networks in the world, but as of 2015 it does not consist of
any line classed as high-speed rail (HSR), which allows an operational speed of 200 km/h or
11 | P a g e

more. The current fastest train in India is the Gatimaan Express that runs with a top speed of
160 km/h, with average speed of above 100 km/hr between Delhi and Agra.
India's Prime minister Narendra Modi approved the choice of Japan to build Indias first
high-speed railway. The planned railway would run some 500 kilometers (310 miles) between
Indias financial capital Mumbai and the western city of Ahmedabad, at a top speed of 320
km/h. Under the Japanese proposal, construction is expected to begin in 2017 and be
completed in 2023. It would cost about 980 billion (US$14 billion) and be financed by a
low-interest loan from Japan. India will use the wheel based 300 km/hr HSR technology,
instead of new maglev 600 km/hr technology of the Japan used in Ch Shinkansen

Figure 10

8.2

Proposed Bullet Train Corridors

MumbaiAhmadabad high-speed rail corridor

The MumbaiAhmedabad high-speed rail corridor is an approved high-speed rail corridor in

India connecting the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad. If built, it will be India's first high
speed rail line. The project is estimated to cost 90,000 crores (900 billion).
In January 2016, The Indian Railway Ministry has fast tracked the Mumbai - Ahmedabad
bullet train corridor by setting up a separate company which will build and operate the bullet
12 | P a g e

train. The company will be registered in January in the name of Indian Railways. At later
stage, the company would be made into a JV with equity participation of the Maharashtra and
Gujarat Governments. The Public sector company is expected to build and also carry out train
operations.
The project is estimated to cost 98000 crore (US$14 billion).
In December 2015, Japan agreed to provide US$12 billion
for the project at a very low interest rate of 0.1% over 50 years
and a moratorium on repayments up to 15 years.
In January 2016, it's estimated that project is likely to cost
INR 97,636 crore and is schedule to be completed within 7
year (2024-2025). Japan has agreed to fund 81% of the total
project cost (INR 79,165 Crore) while rest of the resources
would be pooled by railways and the state governments of
Maharashtra and Gujarat. The 505 km long corridor is likely
to be extended to connect Mumbai with Delhi in the future.
In order to solve problems like acquiring vast tracts of land
and building underpasses for people and cattle, the proposed
Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train may run on an elevated
corridor, which is likely to increase the project cost by
about Rs. 10,000 crore.
Silent Features
Figure 11 MumbaiAhmadabad
Mumbai to Ahmedabad
high-speed rail corridor
520km: Approximate distance the train will cover
350kmph: The expected operating speed of the train
3-4 hours: The time it will take to reach Ahmedabad using the bullet train
8 hours: The time it takes from Mumbai to ahmedabad in a train currently
50-100km: The distance between each station on the line
7: Number of stations on this high-speed corridor
Numbers game
Rs. 60,000cr: The approximate cost of the project
Rs. 100cr: The amount budgeted to initiate the project
Worth its length
Rs. 15cr: The cost for laying a kilometre of tracks for the current railway network
Rs. 125cr: The cost per kilometre for the high-speed corridor

8.3

Diamond Quadrilateral

The Diamond Quadrilateral is a project of the Indian railways to establish high speed rail
network in India. This quadrilateral will connect the four metro cities in India, i.e. Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. This project is similar to Golden Quadrilateral which is a
roadway project which connects the four metros by Express Ways. The Golden Quadrilateral
falls under National Highways Development Project which has helped to build better road
transport in India. Similarly to improve country's rail infrastructure there is a need to
implement High-speed trains / Bullet trains. So to fulfill this demand the Diamond
Quadrilateral project was planned. India today is planning to start Semi-high speed trains on
nine corridors and has ambition to run bullet trains in future. High-speed train on Mumbai13 | P a g e

Ahmedabad section will be the first bullet train corridor to be implemented in the country. On
9 June 2014, the President of India Pranab Mukherjee, officially mentioned that the
Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a Diamond Quadrilateral
project of high speed trains
Silent Features
Diamond Quadrilateral
(Delhi - Mumbai - Chennai - Kolkata - Delhi)Around 6,000 Kms
Delhi-Chennai- 2,200 Kms
Mumbai-Kolkata- 2,000 Kms
Delhi-Amritsar - 450 Kms
Rajkot-Veraval - 350 Kms
Chennai-Trivandrum -850 Kms
Trivandrum-Mangaluru -585 Kms
Bengaluru-Mysuru High-Speed Corridor-110 Kms
Cost
Figure 12
Diamond
Considering a price range of about $ 12-15 million/Km;
the cost comes to about $150-180
Quadrilateral
Billion. Spread out over a period of 10 years (to build the network), India must spend about
$18 Billion per year. That is a little above Rs 1,00,000 crores (1 Lakh Crores) every year. Just
to give us an idea whether it is feasible or not; India's expenditure in the year 2013-14 was Rs
16 Lakh Crores.
CULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY
To build a network of reliable HSR in India is to take a quantum leap in technology. Fresh
new tracks have to be laid, signalling system has to be advanced, new set of engines, and
compartments, electrical systems etc. have to be built. The HSR track,unlike normal Railway
tracks, has to be fenced and isolated from the external environment.
ENERGY
Estimates show that a 12,000 Km HSR carrying around 15 million Passengers annually will
need around 4,400 Gwh (Gigawatt Hour) of energy to run. This is around 0.4% of India's
annual electricity Production. A separate High Speed Rail Grid is necessary to ensure
uninterrupted power supply to the network.

Chapter 9
Current High Speed Trains of India
1. Bhopal Shatabdi Express
The New Delhi Bhopal Shatabdi Express is
the fastest train in India with the top speed
of 150 km/h (93 mph) Shatabdi Express
trains are fully air- conditioned and of a
much higher standard than most Indian rail
coaches.

Figure 13
Bhopal Shatabdi
2. Mumbai Rajdhani
Express
Express

14 | P a g e
Figure 14

Mumbai Rajdhani Express

The Mumbai Rajdhani Express or Mumbai

CentralNew Delhi Rajdhani express that runs
between Mumbai and Delhi in India is a super
fast express train of Rajdhani class belongs to
Indian Railways. Rajdhani Express is one of
the very high speed train of India with the
maximum speed of 130 kmph.

3. Kanpur Reverse Shatabdi

The New Delhi Kanpur Shatabdi express is
also known as Kanpur Reverse Shatabdi is
another one of the super fast train of Indian
rail network. Kanpur Reverse Shatabdi got its
name because it follows the reverse timetable
of Lucknow Shatabdi. Its average speed is
140km/h.

Figure 15 Kanpur Reverse

Shatabdi

4. Sealdah Duronto Express

The Sealdah New Delhi Duronto Express is
Superfast express train that runs between
Sealdah and New Delhi. Duronto Express
comes under non-stop type of express trains of
Indian Railways and considered as the fastest
and most time-efficient train on the Grand
Chord route between these two cities. Its
average speed is 135km/h.
Figure 16

Sealdah Duronto Express

Chapter 10
Fastest trains in the world
1. Shanghai Maglev
Shanghai Maglev tops the list with its maximum
operational speed of 430km/h and average speed of
251kmph. The Maglev started commercial
operations in April 2004.

Figure 17

2.

Shanghai Maglev

Harmony CRH 380A

Harmony CRH 380A, with maximum
operational speed of 380kmph, is currently

15 | P a g e

the second fastest operating train in the

world.
3. AGVFigure
Italo 18 Harmony CRH 380A
AGV Italo is the first train in the AGV Series
which entered into service in April 2012. It has
a maximum operational speed of 360kmph.
Considered to be the most modern train in
Europe, AGV Italo was built by Alstom. The
train currently runs on the Napoli - Roma Firenze - Bologna - Milano corridor.

4.

Figure 19

AGV Italo

Siemens Velaro E / AVS 103

Velaro E, designated as AVE S 103 in

Spain, is the fastest series-production highspeed train in the world. It achieved a
whopping speed of about 400kmph during
its test trips in Spain.

5.

Figure
Talgo20350
Siemens
(T350)Velaro E

Talgo 350, which initially entered service with

the name RENFE AVE Class 10, achieved a
maximum speed of 365kmph during its trial
run. The train has a maximum operational
speed of 350kmph.

Chapter 11
Accidents

Figure 21

Talgo 350

High-speed rail is one of the safest modes of transportation. The first high-speed rail network,
the Japanese Shinkansen has not had any fatal accidents involving passengers since it began
operating in 1964.
Notable major accidents involving high-speed trains include the following.
1. The 1998 Eschede accident
In 1998, after over thirty years of high-speed rail operations worldwide without fatal
accidents, the Eschede accident occurred in Germany: a poorly designed ICE 1 wheel broke
at 200 km/h (124 mph) near Eschede, resulting in the derailment and destruction of almost
the entire full set of 16 cars and the subsequent death toll of 101 people.
2. The 2011 Wenzhou accident
On 23 July 2011, 13 years after the Eschede train accident, a Chinese CRH2 traveling at
100 km/h (62 mph) collided with a CRH1 which was stopped on a viaduct in the suburbs of
Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China. The two trains derailed, and four cars fell off the
viaduct. 40 people were killed, at least 192 were injured, 12 of which were severe injuries.
The disaster led to a number of changes in management and exploitation of high-speed rail in
China. Despite the fact that high speed was not a factor in the accident, one of the major
16 | P a g e

changes was the lowering by 50 km/h (31 mph) of all maximum speeds in China HST,
350 km/h (217 mph) becoming 300, 250 km/h (155 mph) becoming 200, and 200 km/h
(124 mph) becoming 160.
3. The 2013 Santiago de Compostela accident
In July 2013, a high-speed train in Spain attempted to round a curve which had a speed limit
of 80 km/h (50 mph) at 190 km/h (120 mph), leading to 78 fatalities. Normally high-speed
rail has automatic speed limiting restrictions, but this track section is a conventional section
and in this case the automatic speed limit was said to be disabled by the driver several
kilometers before the station. A few days later, the train worker's union claimed that the speed
limiter didn't work properly because of lack of proper funding, acknowledging the budget
cuts made by the current government. Two days after the accident, the driver was
provisionally charged with homicide by negligence. This is the first accident that occurred
with a Spanish high-speed train, but it occurred in a section that was not high speed.
4. The 2015 Eckwersheim accident
On 14 November 2015, a specialized TGV EuroDuplex was performing commissioning tests
on the unopened second phase of the LGV Est high-speed line, when it entered a curve,
overturned, and struck the parapet of a bridge over the MarneRhine Canal. The rear power
car came to a rest in the canal, while the remainder of the train came to a rest in the grassy
median between the northern and southern tracks. Approximately 50 people were on board,
consisting of SNCF technicians and reportedly some unauthorized guests. 11 were killed and
37 were injured. The train was performing tests at 10% above the planned speed limit for the
line and should have slowed from 352 km/h (219 mph) to 176 kilometres per hour (109 mph)
before entering the curve. Officials have indicated that excessive speed may have caused the
accident.

Conclusion
High-speed rail, commonly known as bullet trains, are rail transport systems that are
significantly faster than traditional rail, reaching sustained speeds of up to 350km(around 200
miles) per hour. Originally introduced in Japan, these systems, where they exist, are already
extremely popular. Robust HSR networks are already in place within Europe and East Asia,
most notably in France, Germany, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan and China.
The benefits of HSR are numerous. Rail stations, as opposed to airports, are located in city
centres, which can make travel between cities, up to a certain distance away, much faster
once time to get to the airport, security, and boarding time are factored in. Furthermore, highspeed trains travel faster than automobiles and are not subject to traffic congestion.
The signing of the bullet train agreement between India and Japan has generated rancorous
debate in the media and on social media. The question being asked most is: Does India need a
bullet train or, is India even ready for one?
Some sceptics, who have probably done more homework, say that the money is better spent
developing existing railway infrastructure. It makes more sense to improve railway tracks to

17 | P a g e

enable trains to run faster, rather than spend money on a few trains that go very fast. They are
probably right.
But bullet train advocates also have valid views. For instance, the cost of a kilometre of bullet
train track is less than that of a metro. Not exactly an orange-to-orange comparison, but you
see the point. Anything new or daring is opposed by some lobby or the other. Over the years,
everything has been criticised for being wasteful expenditure.

Reference

http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2004/leun4m0/public_html/Howitworks.html
http://science.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train2.htm
www.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train.htm
www.gizmohighway.com/transport/maglev_train.htm
http://faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans/maglevq.htm
www.magnet.fsu.edu
http://amasci.com/maglev/train.html
http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/TPMagIntro.html
http://www.maglev2000.com/works/how-02-b.html

18 | P a g e