Welcome to Ciosbahn's high speed train section.
This section regards history of high speed in Europe and in Japan.
Ciosbahn acquire some model of this train that will be presented in this section.
International Union of railways as set some definitions of high speed:
High speed rollingstock (UIC definitions):
"High-speed stock is normally composed of fixed formation motor coach sets, sometimes coupled together to form multiple units, capable of attaining at least 250 km/h in commercial service.
In certain conditions trains of the type mentioned above running at lower speeds (200 km/h), but offering high quality services, such as tilting trains, may also be described as high speed trains.
Finally, the term high speed train may also be applied to certain conventional trains made up of locomotives and coaches running at 200 km/h and meeting specific conditions.
As far as rolling stock is concerned, high speed traffic thus means all traffic using high speed stock irrespective of the type of line on which it operates."
Infrastructure for high speed (UIC definition):
"As regards infrastructure, the definition of high speed rail covers a number of notions. A line is currently described as a "high speed line" when it is a new one designed to enable trains to operate at speeds above 250 km/h throughout the whole journey, or at least over a significant part of the journey.
So any line, whether a new one or an upgraded conventional one, suitable for carrying traffic at up to 200 km/h, may be considered a high-speed line if it satisfies special criteria such as
substantial reductions in journey time, the crossing of mountains or straits, the use of narrow gauge track, the "network effect" bonus, etc.
From the standpoint of the infrastructure high speed traffic will thus comprise all traffic running on high speed lines, regardless of the type of rolling stock used."
As you can see high speed rail is a mix between infrastructure and rollingstock.
The world's first "high–speed train" was Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen, officially launched in 1964. The "Series 0" Shinkansen, built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, achieved speeds of 200 km/h on the Tokyo–Nagoya–Kyoto–Osaka route.
Photo from Wikipedia used under GNU public licence
Japan was followed by France with TGV "train à grande vitesse": service opened to the public between Paris and Lyon on 27 September 1981.
Some Ciosbahn's high speed train model
