Commuter trains is a passenger rail service that operates in a region with a number of populated cities around the world.
Commuter trains are the most popular rail transport service in the world, traveling people to their cities or towns on a schedule operating everyday. On commuter trains their are passenger cars that carry people to destinations.
Inside of Passenger Car
Amtrak one of the most popular train service in the world, they have the most comfortable rides. Their trains are air conditioned with seats that have a leg rest and more space than a plane. Amtrak also provides windows to look out at the scenery views around America.
MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority) a commuter service in Massachusetts, brings passengers to and from to Boston and other parts including Rhode Island, and the south and north sides of Massachusetts. From the picture above, this is the inside of the MBTA commuter train.
Coaster is a commuter service in the central and northern coastal regions of Sand Diego, California. The interior looks really nice comparing it to Amtrak's. Blue seats and luggage cariers are above every seat. They also have stunning views when riding the train throught the regions in Sand Diego, and along the beaches.
NJ Transit is another commuter service that operates in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. From the photo above, this is what NJ Transit interior looks like.
Engines of Commuter Trains
One of Amtrak's locomotives this one is called a power car. They have one on the front and back of the train. The reason that the Acela engine is curved is because when the train goes fast the friction causes it to slow down.
Another type of engine by Amtrak is called ACS-64. It stands for Amtrak City Sprinter. It's also an electric engine. The locomotives have wires on the top of the train. It transmits electrical energy to electric trains. In the engineer seat of the Amtrak trains, they have an option to lower and raise the pantograph which controls the wires on top of the train.
There are lots of MBTA engines on the MBTA commuter rail. From this photo above, this engine is called F40PH-3C. The F40PH means it's a four-axle B-B diesel locomotive. The 3C means it's the third version made. There was no 1C invented but their is a 2C, which was rebuilt into the 3C which makes it a new model. Other MBTA locomotives include HSP-46,GP40-MC, and MP36.
This Coaster locomotive is called F40PH-2C. F40PH-2C is a popular locomotive in passenger trains. It's a four-axle B-B diesel locomotive.
This Coaster locomotive is called Amtrak Siemens Charger Locomotive. It's a diesel-electric passenger locomotive. These were built in 2016. There are a few models of the Siemens Charger including SC-44, SCB-40, and ALC-42.
This locomotive by NJT is called Bombardier ALP-45DP. This locomotive was built in 2020. This type of train is dual mode which is electric and diesel. Of this particular locomotive there are 35 of these locomotvies active. This locomotive in electric mode is 5,365 horse power. In diesel mode it's sometimes 4,200 or 3,000 horse power.
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High Speed Rail is a transportation service that runs faster than normal train traffic. There are several countries that high speed trains are in.
United States, China, Japan, France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany,Italy, Russia, The Netherlands, Poland, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan.
In the United States the fastest train is called the Acela. The maximum speed is 150 mph. It runs on the Northeast Corridor through Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Washington DC, New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. The Acela runs on a standard gauge track.
Map for Acela routes
In Europe the fastest train is called the TGV Lyria. The maximum speed is 350 km/199 mph. The TGV is the railway that runs between France and Switzerland. Most railways in Europe have standard gauge tracks which have four feet and eight and a half inches.
The interior of the TGV Lyria is like almost every interior of a train. Seats with windows looking out to nice views.
Another attraction that TGV has on their trains is a cafe so that people can enjoy the rides even more!
Japan's Contribution to High Speed Rail
The train that's in Japan is called Shinkansen also known as the bullet train. It was built to connect far away locations in the Japanese regions. Some sections around the metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. It's also operated by five Japan railways group companies. It's known as the fastest train in the world which goes 320 km/h (200 mph).
The train locomotive type is called an E6 series. It has been in service since October of 2016. The bullet train is a six car set of a mix of E5 and H5 series since March of 2016. They replaced all of the previous E3 series trains on Komachi services by March 15, 2014.
The type of track that the Shinkansen runs on is a 1,435 mm standard gauge track with welded rails to reduce vibration.
The construction of the Chuo Shinkansen began in 2014 and is expected to cost at least 90 billion dollars, including with services to Nagoya beginning in 2027 and Osaka in 2045. By then the Shinkansen will be approaching 100 years of service bringing people all over Japan closer together.
Here is a view of the interior of the Shinkansen N700S train which is another type of train locomotive.
Map for the Shinkansen routes
Original website created by Griffin Jones, March 2021.
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