Everything about Trains totally explained
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For other uses see Train (disambiguation) and Trains (disambiguation)
A
train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track (
permanent way) to
transport freight or passengers from one place to another. The track usually consists of two
rails, but might also be a
monorail or
maglev guideway. Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate
locomotive, or from individual motors in self-propelled
multiple units. Most modern trains are powered by
diesel locomotives or by
electricity supplied by
overhead wires or additional rails, although historically (from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century) the
steam locomotive was the dominant form of locomotive power. Other sources of power (such as
horses,
rope or wire,
gravity,
pneumatics, and
gas turbines) are possible.
The word 'train' comes from the
Old French trahiner, itself from the
Latin trahere 'pull, draw'.
Types of trains
There are various types of train designed for particular purposes.
A train can consist of a combination of one or more
locomotives and attached
railroad cars, or a self-propelled
multiple unit (or occasionally a single powered coach, called a
railcar). Trains can also be hauled by horses, pulled by a cable, or run downhill by gravity.
Special kinds of trains running on corresponding special 'railways' are
atmospheric railways,
monorails,
high-speed railways,
maglev,
rubber-tired underground,
funicular and
cog railways.
A passenger train may consist of one or several locomotives, and one or more coaches. Alternatively, a train may consist entirely of passenger carrying coaches, some or all of which are powered as a "
multiple unit". In many parts of the world, particularly
Japan and
Europe,
high-speed rail is utilized extensively for passenger travel.
Freight trains comprise wagons or trucks rather than carriages, though some parcel and mail trains (especially
Travelling Post Offices) are outwardly more like passenger trains.
Trains can also be 'mixed', comprising both passenger accommodation and freight vehicles. Such mixed trains are most likely to occur where services are infrequent, and running separate passenger and freight trains isn't cost-effective, though the differing needs of passengers and freight usually means this is avoided where possible.
Special trains are also used for
track maintenance; in some places, this is called
maintenance of way.
In the
United Kingdom, a train hauled by two locomotives is said to be "double-headed", and in
Canada and the
United States it's quite common for a long freight train to be headed by three or more locomotives. A train with a locomotive attached at each end is described as 'top and tailed', this practice typically being used when there are no reversing facilities available. Where a second locomotive is attached temporarily to assist a train up steep banks or grades (or down them by providing braking power) it's referred to as '
banking' in the UK, or 'helper service' in North America. Recently, many loaded trains in the US have been made up with one or more locomotives in the middle or at the rear of the train, operated remotely from the lead cab. This is referred to as "DP" or "Distributed Power."
Official terminology
The
railway terminology that's used to describe a 'train' varies between countries.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the interchangeable terms set and unit are used to refer to a group of permanently or semi-permanently coupled vehicles, such as those of a multiple unit. While when referring to a train made up of a variety of vehicles, or of several sets/units, the term formation is used. (Although the UK public and media often forgo 'formation', for simply 'train'.) The word rake is also used for a group of coaches or wagons.
In the United Kingdom Section 83(1) of the Railways Act 1993 defines "train" as follows: » a) two or more items of rolling stock coupled together, at least one of which is a locomotive; or
b) a locomotive not coupled to any other rolling stock.
United States
In the United States, the term consist is used to describe the group of rail vehicles which make up a train. When referring to motive power, consist refers to the group of locomotives powering the train. Similarly, the term train set refers to a group of rolling stock that's permanently or semi-permanently coupled together to form a unified set of equipment (the term is most often applied to passenger train configurations). Also, in the United States, they sometimes call the engine an 'iron horse', but varies by person as well. The term 'iron horse' was thought of when the steam locomotive first appeared in the United States. They called it that, due to the fact that it replaced the horse on the railway lines, and was made of metal.
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's 1948 operating rules define a train as: "An engine or more than one engine coupled, with or without cars, displaying markers."
Motive power
The first trains were rope-hauled, gravity powered or pulled by horses, but from the early 19th century almost all were powered by
steam locomotives. From the 1920s onwards they began to be replaced by less labour intensive and cleaner (but more complex and expensive)
diesel locomotives and
electric locomotives, while at about the same time self-propelled
multiple unit vehicles of either power system became much more common in passenger service. In most countries
dieselisation of locomotives in day-to-day use was completed by the 1970s. A few countries, most notably the
People's Republic of China, where
coal and labour are cheap, still use steam locomotives, but this is being gradually phased out. Historic steam trains still run in many other countries, for the leisure and enthusiast market.
Electric traction offers a lower cost per mile of train operation but at a higher initial cost, which can only be justified on high traffic lines. Since the cost per mile of construction is much higher, electric traction is less favored on long-distance lines with the exception of long-distance high speed lines. Electric trains receive their current via
overhead lines or through a
third rail electric system.
Passenger trains
A passenger train is one which includes passenger-carrying vehicles. It may be a self-powered
multiple unit or
railcar, or else a combination of one or more locomotives and one or more unpowered trailers known as
coaches, cars or carriages. Passenger trains travel between
stations where passengers may join or leave the train. Many of the more prestigious passenger train services have been given a
specific name, some of which have become
famous in literature and fiction.
India has the largest passenger density in the world.India has one of the largest passenger density due to a great population, refering to a population chart of India, yet it's only one of the most populated countries, but is the only populated one to have the greatest passenger density out of the other countries.
Long-distance trains
Long-distance trains travel between many cities and/or regions of a country, and sometimes cross several countries. They often have a
dining car or restaurant car to allow passengers to have a meal during the course of their journey. Trains traveling overnight may also have
sleeping cars.
High-speed trains
High speed trains normally travel during the day. They compete with
airliners in speed . In
Japan, most of the public transportation between the
Tokyo metropolitan area and the
Osaka metropolitan area (with around 500 km in distance between them) is dominated by the
Shinkansen, however in travel further than around 500 km (such as
Tokyo-
Hiroshima) more people prefer to travel by air.
Very fast trains sometimes
tilt, like the
APT, the
Pendolino, or the
Talgo. Tilting is a system where the passenger cars automatically lean into
curves, reducing the sideways
g-forces on passengers and permitting higher speeds on curves in the
track with greater passenger comfort.
The fastest train on rails is the
French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) (French for High Speed Train) which achieved a 574.8 km/h (356 mph) speed in testing in 2007. However, TGVs run at a maximum commercial speed of 300-320 km/h. The
German ICE uses this commercial speed of 300-320 km/h as well.
Inter-city trains
Trains connecting cities can be distinguished into two groups,
inter-city trains, which don't halt at small stations, and trains that serve all stations, usually known as
local trains or "stoppers" (and sometimes an intermediate type, usually known as
limited-stop).
Branch line trains
Branch lines are usually defined as connections to local stations or local lines and usually stopping services, running to all stations or the majority of stations on a line.
Commuter trains
For shorter distances many cities have networks of
commuter trains, serving the city and its suburbs. Some carriages may be laid out to have more standing room than seats, or to facilitate the carrying of
prams,
cycles or
wheelchairs. Some countries have
double-decked passenger trains for use in conurbations. Double deck high speed and sleeper trains are becoming more common in mainland Europe.
Passenger trains usually have
emergency brake handles (or a "communication cord") that the public can operate. Abuse is punished by a heavy
fine.
Large cities often have a
metro system, also called underground, subway or tube. The trains are electrically powered, usually by
third rail, and their railroads are separate from other traffic, without
level crossings. Usually they run in tunnels in the city center and sometimes on elevated structures in the outer parts of the city. They can accelerate and decelerate faster than heavier, long-distance trains.
A light one- or two-car rail vehicle running through the streets is by convention not considered a train but rather a
tram, trolley, light-rail vehicle or streetcar, but the distinction isn't always strict. In some countries such as the United Kingdom the distinction between a tramway and a
railway is precise and defined in law.
The term
light rail is sometimes used for a modern tram, but it may also mean an intermediate form between a tram and a train, similar to metro except that it may have level crossings. These are often protected with crossing gates. They may also be called a
trolley.
Maglev trains and
monorails represent minor technologies in the train field.
The term
rapid transit is used for public transport such as commuter trains, metro and light rail. However, in New York City, lines on the
New York City Subway have been referred to as "trains".
Some commuter trains in
Tokyo,
Japan have special cars which the bench seats fold up to provide standing room only during the morning rush hour (until 10 a.m.). The
E231 series train has two of these cars in each set (usually as part of a 10- or 11-car set), officially nicknamed "roku-tobira-sha" (literally, "6 door car") - all the other cars have four sets of doors on each side.
An estimated 3.5 million passengers ride every day on Tokyo's
Yamanote Line, with its 29 stations. For comparison, the New York City Subway carries 4.8 million passengers per day on 26 lines serving 468 stations.
Named trains
Railway companies often give a name to a train service as a marketing exercise, to raise the profile of the service and hence attract more passengers (and also to gain
kudos for the company). Usually, naming is reserved for the most prestigious trains: the high-speed express trains between major cities, stopping at few intermediate stations. The names of services such as the
Orient Express, the
Flying Scotsman, the
Flèche d’Or and the
Royal Scot have passed into popular culture.
A somewhat less common practice is the naming of freight trains, for the same commercial reasons. The "Condor" was an overnight
London-
Glasgow express goods train, in the 1960s, hauled by pairs of
"Metrovick" diesel locomotives. In the mid-1960s,
British Rail introduced the
"Freightliner" brand, for the new train services carrying
containers between dedicated terminals around the rail network. The
Rev. W. Awdry also named freight trains, coining the term
The Flying Kipper for the overnight express fish train that appeared in his stories in
The Railway Series books.
Freight trains
A freight train (also known as goods train) uses
freight cars (also known as wagons or trucks) to transport goods or materials (
cargo) – essentially any train that isn't used for carrying passengers. Much of the world's freight is transported by train, and in the
USA the rail system is used more for transporting freight than passengers.
Under the right circumstances, transporting freight by train is highly economic, and also more energy efficient than transporting freight by road. Rail freight is most economic when freight is being carried in bulk and over long distances, but is less suited to short distances and small loads. Bulk aggregate movements of a mere twenty miles (32 km) can be cost effective even allowing for trans-shipment costs. These trans-shipment costs dominate in many cases and many modern practices such as
container freight are aimed at minimizing these.
The main disadvantage of rail freight is its lack of flexibility. For this reason, rail has lost much of the freight business to
road competition. Many governments are now trying to encourage more freight onto trains, because of the benefits that it would bring.
There are many different types of freight trains, which are used to carry many different kinds of freight, with many different types of
wagons. One of the most common types on modern railways are container trains, where containers can be lifted on and off the train by
cranes and loaded off or onto
trucks or
ships.
This type of freight train has largely superseded the traditional
boxcar (wagon-load) type of freight train, with which the cargo has to be loaded or unloaded manually.
In some countries "
piggy-back" trains are used:
trucks can drive straight onto the train and drive off again when the end destination is reached. A system like this is used through the
Channel Tunnel between
England and
France, and for the trans-Alpine service between France and
Italy (this service uses
Modalohr road trailer carriers). 'Piggy-back' trains are the fastest growing type of freight trains in the United States, where they're also known as '
trailer on
flatcar' or TOFC trains. 'Piggy-back' trains require no special modifications to the vehicles being carried. An alternative type of "inter-modal" vehicle, known as a
Roadrailer, is designed to be physically attached to the train. The original trailers were fitted with two sets of wheels: one set flanged, for the trailer to run connected to other such trailers as a rail vehicle in a train; and one set tyred, for use as the
semi-trailer of a road vehicle. More modern trailers have only road wheels and are designed to be carried on specially adapted
bogies (trucks) when moving on rails.
There are also many other types of
wagons, such as "low loader" wagons for transporting road vehicles. There are
refrigerator cars for transporting
foods such as ice cream. There are simple types of
open-topped wagons for transporting
minerals and bulk material such as
coal, and
tankers for transporting liquids and gases. Today however most coal and aggregates are moved in
hopper wagons that can be filled and discharged rapidly, to enable efficient handling of the materials.
Freight trains are sometimes illegally boarded by passengers who don't wish to pay money, or don't have the money to travel by ordinary means. This is referred to as "
hopping" and is considered by some communities to be a viable form of transport. Most hoppers sneak into train yards and stow away in boxcars. More bold hoppers will catch a train "on the fly", that is, as it's moving, leading to occasional fatalities.
Gallery
Image:Flytoget Oslo S.jpg|Airport Express train in Oslo, Norway
Image:Transperth-466-468-McIver-150705.jpg|An electric Transperth train at Mclver, Perth, Western Australia
Image:Piekna Helena Koscierzyna.jpg|A heritage steam train in Poland
Image:Wagonway.JPG|An early horse-pulled train
Further Information
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