2008 Woodie Awards
Le Train
By Konrad Klett
4/11/07 - Science & Technology
On April 3, the French V150 train broke the world speed record for conventional rail trains. The silver and black beast hit 357.2 miles per hour, just short of the all time train record of 361 miles per hour set by a Japanese maglev train in 2003. Powered by a 25,000 horsepower engine, riders compared the acceleration to that of a jet aircraft. Alstom Transports built the record breaking train to showcase French technology, particularly to China. The goal was business, not just a record breaking attempt. The V150 is not only the fastest wheeled train but also the first double decker train to reach that kind of speed range. While this particular train is primarily a laboratory for new technology, France plans to build 7,500 miles worth of high speed railway and spend between $250 and $310 billion. The train will go into use on June 10 if all goes as planned and will link Paris with Strasbourg.
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