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Land speed record for railed vehicles




JR-Maglev MLX01 at Yamanashi.
JR-Maglev MLX01 at Yamanashi.
A TGV train at Futuroscope, near Poitiers.
A TGV train at Futuroscope, near Poitiers.

Determination of the fastest railed vehicle in the world varies depending on the definition of "rail".

The French TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) is the fastest conventional train in the world, using powered metal wheels riding on metal rails. In April 2007 the TGV broke its own 1990 record with a new speed of 574.8 km/h (357.18 mph) under test conditions with a shortened train (two power cars and three passenger cars).

The Japanese JR-Maglev is the fastest non-conventional train in the world, having achieved 581 km/h (361 mph) on a magnetic-levitation track. Unmanned rocket sleds that ride on rails have reached over 10,400 km/h (6,462 mph), equivalent to Mach 8.5.

Contents

[edit] Conventional wheeled

[edit] Electric multiple units

Further information: TGV world speed record
km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
162.5 Siemens & Halske Drehstrom Electric (Locomotive or EMU?) Between Marienfelde and Zossen, Germany (de:Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) 1901 Drehstrom: Three-phase. Some sources say 160 or 162 km/h. See: [1].
203 Siemens & Halske Drehstrom-Triebwagen Electric multiple unit (EMU) Between Marienfelde and Zossen, Germany (de:Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) 6 October 1903 Drehstrom-Triebwagen: Three-phase-Multiple unit. Some sources say 7 October, others say 201 or 200.99 km/h and others say an improbable 213 km/h. See: de:Studiengesellschaft für Elektrische Schnellbahnen, [2], [3].
206.7 Siemens & Halske Drehstrom-Triebwagen Electric multiple unit Between Marienfelde and Zossen, Germany (de:Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) 23 October 1903 Drehstrom-Triebwagen: Three-phase-Multiple unit.
210.2 AEG Drehstrom-Triebwagen Electric multiple unit Between Marienfelde and Zossen, Germany (de:Königlich Preussische Militär-Eisenbahn) 28 October 1903 Drehstrom-Triebwagen: Three-phase-Multiple unit. Many sources say 27 October. On 25 November 1903 a Siemens & Halske train attained 210 km/h. Absolute record. Broken by Schienenzeppelin in 1931. Record for electrical trains until 1954. See: de:Studiengesellschaft für Elektrische Schnellbahnen, [4], [5].
256 (159) 1000 Type Shinkansen Electric multiple unit Japan 30 March 1963 On Odawara test track, now part of Tōkaidō Shinkansen.
286 (177.6) 951 Type Shinkansen Electric multiple unit Japan 24 February 1972 On Sanyō Shinkansen.
319 (198.1) 961 Type Shinkansen Electric multiple unit Japan 7 December 1979 On Oyama test track, now part of Tōhoku Shinkansen.
380 (236.12) SNCF TGV Sud-Est Set No. 16 Electric multiple unit France 26 February 1981 On LGV Sud-Est. Conventional wheeled absolute record.
406.9 (252.83) InterCityExperimental (ICE-V) Electric multiple unit West Germany 1 May 1988 Conventional wheeled absolute record.
408.4 SNCF TGV Sud-Est Set No. 88 Electric multiple unit France 12 December 1988 On LGV Sud-Est. Conventional wheeled absolute record.
482.4 SNCF TGV Atlantique Set No. 325 Electric multiple unit France 5 December 1989 On LGV Atlantique. Set formed of 2 power cars + 3 trailers. Conventional wheeled absolute record.
515.3 (320.19) SNCF TGV Atlantique Set No. 325 Electric multiple unit France 18 May 1990 On LGV Atlantique. Set formed of 2 power cars + 3 trailers. Conventional wheeled absolute record.
574.8 (357.18) SNCF TGV POS Set No. 4402 Electric multiple unit France 3 April 2007 On LGV Est. Set formed of 2 power cars + 3 trailers. Conventional wheeled absolute record.

[edit] Electric locomotives

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
243 (150.99) CC 7121 Electric locomotive France 21 February 1954 Conventional wheeled absolute record.
320.6 CC 7107 Electric locomotive France 28 March 1955 Conventional wheeled absolute record.
330.9 (205.61) BB 9004 Electric locomotive France 29 March 1955 Conventional wheeled absolute record.
357 (221.82) Siemens Eurosprinter ES64U4 No. 1216 050-5 Electric locomotive Germany 2 September 2006 Record attained on Nuremberg-Munich high-speed rail line, locomotive owned by ÖBB. Series-produced locomotive. See: [6], [7].

[edit] Third rail electric

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
174 (109) Class 442 unit 2401 Electric United Kingdom 11 April 1988

[edit] Subway/metro

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
141.3 (87.75) New York City Subway R44 Electric United States 31 January 1972

[edit] Gas turbine

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
144.9 (90) M-10000 Gas turbine-electric United States 31 January 1935 111 mph claimed.
275 (170.8) UAC TurboTrain Gas turbine-electric United States 20 December 1967
318 (197.59) TGV 001 Gas turbine-electric France 8 December 1972

[edit] Diesel

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
181 (112.5) Pioneer Zephyr Diesel United States 26 May 1934
205.0 (127.4) DRG SVT 137 "Bauart Leipzig" Diesel Germany 17 February 1936 First diesel train faster than 125 mph
215.0 (133.6) DRG SVT 137 155 (Kruckenberg) Diesel Germany 23 June 1939
230.4 (143.16) Class 252 (HST prototype) Diesel United Kingdom 12 June 1973
238 (147.88) Class 43 (HST) Diesel United Kingdom 1 November 1987 Current diesel speed record listed in 2006 Guinness Book of Records
271 (168.39) TEP80 Diesel Russia December 1992 Claimed by Russian manufacturer
256.38 (159.30) Talgo XXI Diesel Spain 12 June 2002 Claimed by Spanish manufacturer

[edit] Petrol

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
230.2 (143.03) Schienenzeppelin Propeller pushed railcar with a petrol aero engine On the route Berlin - Hamburg between Karstädt and Dergenthin, Germany (de:Berlin-Hamburger Bahn) 21 June 1931 Absolute record for more than twenty years. Engine by BMW. Other sources say between Ludwigslust und Wittenberge.

[edit] Steam

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
8 (4.97) Richard Trevithick's world's first railway steam locomotive Steam United Kingdom 21 February 1804
24 (15) Locomotion No. 1 Steam United Kingdom 1825
48 (30) Stephenson's Rocket Steam United Kingdom 1830
96.6 (60) Boston and Maine Railroad Antelope Steam United States 1848 First authenticated 60 mph, 26 miles in 26 minutes.
125.6 (78) Great Britain Steam United Kingdom 1850 80mph claimed
131.6 (81.8) Bristol & Exeter Railway #41 Steam United Kingdom June 1854
131 (82) Empire State Express No. 999 Steam United States May 10 1893 112 mph (179 km/h) claimed, which would make it the first wheeled vehicle to exceed 100 mph.[1]
145 (90) LNWR No. 790 Hardwicke Steam United Kingdom 22-23 August 1895 Maximum speed claimed, although average speed record was authenticated (see below).
164 (101.90) GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro Steam United Kingdom 9 May 1904 Claimed to be the first steam locomotive to reach 100 mph.
185.07 (115.00) Pennsylvania Railroad E6s #460 Steam United States 11 June 1927 Claimed. E6s #7002 was clocked at Crestline, Ohio at 127.1 mph (204.55 km/h) in 1905. However PRR Steam Locomotives did not carry speedometers at that time, speed was calculated by measuring time between mile markers, so this is not recognized as a speed record.[citation needed]
160 (100)LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman Steam United Kingdom 30 November 1934

In 1934, Flying Scotsman achieved the first authenticated 100 mph (160 km/h) by a steam locomotive.[2]

168.5 (104.70) LNER Class A3 No. 2750 Papyrus Steam United Kingdom 5 March 1935 First run at 100+ mph with complete, surviving documentation.
181.1 (112.53) Milwaukee Road class A #2 Steam United States 15 May 1935 Claimed[citation needed]
180.3 (112) LNER Class A4 2509 Silver Link Steam United Kingdom 29 September 1935 Authenticated. Some sources say 112.5 mph.
200.4 (124.52) Borsig DRG series 05 002 Steam Germany 11 May 1936
202.6 (125.88) LNER Class A4 No.4468 Mallard Steam United Kingdom 3 July 1938 Peak speed 202.6 km/h, mean speed (half-mile) 201.2 km/h. Mallard suffered an overheated big end during the run, but was repaired and returned to traffic within 9 days.[3]

[edit] Jet

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
295.72 (183.68) Budd Rail Diesel Car Jet aero engines United States 23 July 1966

[edit] Rocket

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
280 Opel RAK III Rocket Germany 23 June 1928 Unmanned. Some sources say 254 or 290 km/h. See: [8], [9], [10], [11], [12].

[edit] Narrow gauge

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Gauge Comments
129 JNR C62 steam locomotive No. C62 17 Steam locomotive Japan 19 December 1954 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) On JNR Tōkaidō Main Line
145 (90.1) Odakyū 3000 series SE Electric multiple unit Japan 27 September 1957 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) On JNR Tōkaidō Main Line
163 (101.2) JNR 151 series Electric multiple unit Japan 31 July 1959 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) On JNR Tōkaidō Main Line
175 (108.7) JNR KuMoYa93 test car Electric multiple unit Japan 21 November 1960 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) On JNR Tōkaidō Main Line
245 (152.2) Class 6E Electric locomotive South Africa December 1978 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm)

[edit] Hovertrain

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
100 Aérotrain 01 Hovercraft train, Propeller engine fr:Gometz-la-Ville, France 21 February 1966
200 Aérotrain 01 Hovercraft train, Propeller engine Gometz-la-Ville, France A few days after 21 February 1966
303 Aérotrain 01 Hovercraft train, Jet aero engine Gometz-la-Ville, France 23 December 1966 With the help of an auxiliary rocket.
345 Aérotrain 02 Hovercraft train, Jet aero engine Gometz-la-Ville, France November 1967
422 Aérotrain 02 Hovercraft train, Jet aero engine Gometz-la-Ville, France 22 January 1969 With the help of an auxiliary rocket.
430.4 Aérotrain I-80 Haute Vitesse (HV) Hovercraft train, Jet aero engine Chevilly, Loiret, France 5 March 1974 Peak speed 430.4 km/h, average speed over two runs in opposite directions 417.6 km/h on a 3 km track.

[edit] Maglev

[edit] Manned

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
90 MBB Prinzipfahrzeug Maglev MBB's Ottobrunn factory (near Munich), West Germany 6 May 1971 660 m test track; MBB: Messerschmidt-Bölkow-Blohm, Prinzipfahrzeug: Principle vehicle.
164 (101.9) Transrapid 02 Maglev Krauss-Maffei's plant in Munich - Allach, West Germany October 1971 930 m test track which included one curve.
250 Transrapid 04 Maglev Munich - Allach, West Germany end 1973
253.2 (157.3) Transrapid 04 Maglev West Germany 21 November 1977
302 Transrapid 06 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany a few weeks after 30 June 1984 Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland: Transrapid Test Facility Emsland.
355 Transrapid 06 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany December 1985
392 Transrapid 06 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany 1987 World record? Date needed.
400.8 (248.9) JR-Maglev MLU001 Maglev Miyazaki Maglev Test Track, Japan February 1987
406 (252) Transrapid 06 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany 11 December 1987
412.6 (256.37) Transrapid 06 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany January 1988
436 Transrapid 07 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), West Germany 15 December 1989
450 (279.61) Transrapid 07 Maglev Transrapid Versuchsanlage Emsland (TVE), Germany 17 June 1993
531 (329.94) JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan 12 December 1997 Three-car train set.
552 (342.99) JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan 14 April 1999 Five-car train set. Guinness Book of Records authenticated.
581 (361.01) JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan 2 December 2003 Three-car train set. Absolute record (excepting rocket sleds). Guinness Book of Records authenticated.

[edit] Unmanned - linear induction motor propulsion

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
230 / 160 ? EET 01 Maglev Manching, Germany 1974
517 (321.24) JR-Maglev ML-500 Maglev Miyazaki Maglev Test Track, Japan 21 December 1979
550 (341.75) JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan 24 December 1997 Three-car train set.

[edit] Unmanned - other propulsion

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
401.3 Komet Maglev Manching, Germany 1974 By MBB. Propelled by six hot water rockets.

[edit] Relative passing speed between two trains

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
966 JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan December 1998
1003 JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan November 1999
1026 (637.52) JR-Maglev MLX01 Maglev Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, Japan 16 November 2004

[edit] Unmodified (commercially operated)

[edit] Top speed

[edit] Conventional wheeled

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
403.7 Siemens Velaro E (AVE S-103) Electric Between Guadalajara and Calatayud, Spain between 15 and 16 July 2006 On the Madrid-Zaragoza AVE line. See: [13].

[edit] Maglev

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
501 Transrapid Maglev Shanghai Maglev Train, China 12 November 2003

[edit] Relative passing speed between two trains

km/h (mph) Train Type Location Date Comments
over 860 Transrapid Maglev Shanghai Maglev Train, China Scheduled every day

[edit] Average speed over long distance

Demonstration or other special workings with record average speed over distances of more than 160km (100 miles).

Average speed km/h (mph) Top speed (km/h) Distance Time Train Type Location From To Date Comments
112 (67.1) 145 (90) claimed 227km (141 miles) 126 min LNWR No. 790 Hardwicke Steam United Kingdom Crewe Carlisle 22-23 August 1895 Overnight train
124 (77) 181 (112.4) 1,633 km (1,015 miles) 785 min Pioneer Zephyr Diesel United States Denver Chicago 26 May 1934 1,015 miles non-stop in 13 hours 5 minutes.
165 203 316 km 115 min ETR 200 Electric Italy Florence Milan 20 July 1939 175.8 km/h mean speed between Lavino and Rogoredo (distance 199.147 km).
317.46 (197.27) 1067.2 km 3 h 29 min TGV Electric France Calais Marseille 26 May 2001 1000 km record in 3 h 9 min.

[edit] Scheduled trains

[edit] Average speed (from station to station)

Average speed km/h (mph) Top speed km/h (mph) Train Type Location From To Distance Date Comments
115 (71.4) 128.8 (80) Cheltenham Spa Express Steam United Kingdom Swindon London 124.45km (77.3 miles) 1932 77.3 miles in 65 minutes. Claimed by the Great Western Railway at the time to be the world's fastest train.
124 160 (99.4) "Fliegender Hamburger" Diesel-electric Germany Berlin Hamburg 286 km 1933 DMU, 98 passengers
132.1 160 Mistral Electric France Paris Dijon 315 km 1964
162.8 210 Hikari Shinkansen Electric Japan Tokyo Shin-Osaka 515.0 km 1965 stopped at Nagoya and Kyoto
261.8 300 Nozomi Shinkansen Electric Japan Hiroshima Kokura 192.0 km 1997 operated by 500 Series Shinkansen
263.3 320 TGV Electric France Lyon-St Exupéry Aix-en-Provence 289.6 km 2005

[edit] Top speed (from station to station)

Top speed (km/h) Average speed (km/h) Train Type Location From To Distance Date Comments
210 128.9 Hikari Shinkansen Electric Japan Tokyo Shin-Osaka 515 km 1964
270 - TGV Electric France Paris Lyon-Perrache 425 km 1981
300 - TGV Electric France Paris Le Mans 176 km 1990
320 263.3 TGV Electric France Lyon-St Exupéry Aix-en-Provence 289.6 km 2005 Fastest conventional
431 245.5 Shanghai Maglev Train Maglev China Shanghai Pudong Airport Shanghai Longyang Road 30 km 2003

[edit] Average speed (between terminating stations)

Average speed (km/h) Train Type Location From To Distance Date Comments
242.5 Nozomi Shinkansen Electric Japan Shin-Osaka Hakata 554 km 1997 Fastest conventional
245.5 Shanghai Maglev Train Maglev China Shanghai Pudong Airport Shanghai Longyang Road 30 km 2003

[edit] Rocket sled

Top speed (km/h) Train Type Location Date Comments
4972 Rocket sled New Mexico (USA) 1959 It ran on SNORT (Supersonic Naval Ordnance Track).
9845 Rocket sled Holloman Air Force Base (USA) October 1982 Unmanned. It blasted a 25-pound payload to a speed of 6119 mph.
10430 Rocket sled Holloman Air Force Base (USA) 30 April 2003 Unmanned. It was the final stage of a four-stage sled train, which included the sled, a Super Roadrunner rocket motor, and a 192-pound payload on top. The sled train delivered payload into a target at a velocity of 9465 feet per second, or 6453 mph (2885 m/s), or Mach 8.5.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.kuhf.org/cdprojects/steam/track12.html
  2. ^ http://www.nrm.org.uk/flyingscotsman/index.asp
  3. ^ http://www.lner.info/locos/A/a4.shtml

[edit] See also

Portal:Trains
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[edit] External links

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