>
>Having ridden quite a few times on the California Zephyr and the Illinois
>Zephyr, I'd suggest that 65 to 80 mph is about all that I'd want to go.
>
In this country, anyway. I rode the original French Sudest TGV many years
ago, shortly before the unit trains were overhauled and repainted silver/blue
instead of the earlier silver/orange. At 140 MPH you could scarcely feel or
hear anything except for the occasional cycling of the air compressor. A good
portion of the TGV system is along dedicated LGV trackage which now extends all
the way to Marseille, and there are no grade crossings or highway overpasses.
A good number of magnificent bridges.
The technology is mature and in service all over Europe and eastern Asia.
Even South Korea has an HST, actually a French TGV derivative. There is
presently an undersea tunnel being constructed between Denmark and Sweden, and
before long you'll be able to ride a German ICE 300/400 HST from Berlin to
Stockholm in less time than it takes to fly.
Chris
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro
- Hunter S. Thompson
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