Curve-hugging train tilts at 167 mph

(Credit: Fareastgizmos)

Japan's train industry may have made headlines in recent months for its hybrid fuel experiments, but its true historical claim has been the high-speed performance that made its "bullet trains" famous decades ago with speeds up to 186 mph.

The country is continuing that tradition today with the "N700 Series Shinkansen" line. A prototype of the train, which was just unveiled publicly, runs at about the same speeds as its predecessors but has one major difference: It tilts. The one-degree difference allows a 16-car train to maintain speeds of 167 mph even as it makes its way around curves, according to Fareastgizmos.

With a ride like that, who needs a $300,000 simulator?

[derpat]

very old idea ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilting_train

[qprize]

Eurostar (Chunnel) train predates this

I don't know exactly how fast they run when tilting, but with top speeds
exceeding 300kph (180mph) I'm guessing that the Eurostar has been doing this
for well over 5 years. And the Deutschebahn ICEs do it too (basically the same
trainsets). Thats one of the reasons you can go from London to Paris in 2 hours.

[sid1950]

Eurostar (Chunnel) train predates this

Eurostars don't tilt! ICE's don't tilt!

There are Italian tilting trains in the ETR series, called Pendelino, and a version of this is run by Virgin Trains on the West Coast Mani Line.

The original tilting train was British Rail's APT in the 80's, and while making a staff training video for BR, I experienced a max of 207mph. Despite the stories at the time, the APT was a success, and was only shelved because of internal politics at BR.