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Train

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Railway transport

   In rail transport, a train consists of rail vehicles that move along
   guides to transport freight or passengers from one place to another.
   The guideway ( permanent way) usually consists of conventional rail
   tracks, but might also be monorail or maglev. Propulsion for the train
   is provided by a separate locomotive, or from individual motors in
   self-propelled multiple units. Most trains are powered by diesel
   engines or by electricity supplied by trackside systems. Historically
   the steam engine was the dominant form of locomotive power through the
   mid-20th century, but other sources of power (such as horses, rope (or
   wire), gravity, pneumatics, or gas turbines) are possible.Trains are
   really cool and fast kchow!

   In American railway terminology, a consist is used to describe the
   group of rail vehicles which make up a train. In the United Kingdom,
   the interchangeable terms set and unit are used to refer to a group of
   permanently or semi-permanently couple 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'.)

   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.

Types of trains

   An electric Transperth train at Mclver, Perth, Western Australia
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   An electric Transperth train at Mclver, Perth, Western Australia
   Modern German Class 423 EMU trainsets meet each other
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   Modern German Class 423 EMU trainsets meet each other
   Japanese Shinkansen 500 Series (High-speed rail)
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   Japanese Shinkansen 500 Series ( High-speed rail)

   There are various types of trains 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, Dinky Trains,
   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.

   In the United Kingdom, a train hauled by two locomotives is said to be
   "double-headed", and in Canada and the United States it is quite common
   for a long freight train to be headed by three, four, or even five
   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 the second
   locomotive is attached temporarily to assist a train up steep banks (or
   down them by providing braking power) it is referred to as 'banking'.

   Trains can also be mixed, hauling both passengers and freight, see e.g.
   Transportation in Mauritania. Such mixed trains became rare in many
   countries, but were commonplace on the first 19th-century railroads.

   Special trains are also used for Track Maintenance; in some places,
   this is called maintenance of way.

   A single uncoupled rail vehicle is not technically a train, but is
   usually referred to as such for signaling reasons.

Motive power

   A heritage steam train in Poland
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   A heritage steam train in Poland
   An early horse-pulled train
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   An early horse-pulled train

   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 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. Most countries had replaced steam locomotives for
   day-to-day use by the 1970s. A few countries, most notably the People's
   Republic of China where coal is in cheap and plentiful supply, 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 very high 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. Electric
   trains receive their current via overhead lines or through a third rail
   electric system.

Passenger trains

   Passenger trains have Passenger cars. Passenger trains travel between
   stations; the distance between stations may vary from under 1 km to
   much more. Long-distance trains, sometimes crossing several countries,
   may have a dining car or restaurant car; they may also have sleeping
   cars, but not in the case of high-speed rail; these arrive at their
   destination before the night falls and are in competition with
   airliners in speed. Very long distance trains such as those on the
   Trans-Siberian railway are usually not high-speed.

   Very fast trains sometimes tilt, like the Pendolino or Talgo. Tilting
   is a system where the passenger cars automatically lean into curves,
   reducing the centrifugal forces acting on passengers and permitting
   higher speeds on curves in the track with greater passenger comfort.

   For trains connecting cities, we can distinguish inter-city trains,
   which do not halt at small stations, and trains that serve all
   stations, usually known as local trains or "stoppers" (and sometimes an
   intermediate kind, see also limited-stop).
   An electric multiple unit pulling into Tile Hill station; Coventry,
   England
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   An electric multiple unit pulling into Tile Hill station; Coventry,
   England
   Interior of a passenger car in a long-distance train in Finland
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   Interior of a passenger car in a long-distance train in Finland
   V43, a common Hungarian electric locomotive used in passenger train
   service.
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   V43, a common Hungarian electric locomotive used in passenger train
   service.

   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 some double-decked
   passenger trains for use in conurbations. Double deck high speed and
   sleeper trains are becoming more common in 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 centre 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 is not 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".

Freight trains

   An electric container freight train
   Enlarge
   An electric container freight train
   Freight wagons filled with limestone await unloading, at sidings in
   Rugby, England
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   Freight wagons filled with limestone await unloading, at sidings in
   Rugby, England
   An SP freight train west of Chicago in 1992.
   Enlarge
   An SP freight train west of Chicago in 1992.

   Freight trains have freight cars.

   Much of the world's freight is transported by train. In the USA the
   rail system is used mostly for transporting cargo (or freight).

   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 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 environmental 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 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 on the Channel Tunnel between
   England and France and between France and Italy ( Modalohr road trailer
   carriers). Piggy back trains are the fastest growing type of freight
   trains in the United States, where they are also known as ' trailer on
   flatcar' or TOFC trains. There are also some "inter-modal" vehicles,
   which have two sets of wheels, for use in a train, or as the
   semi-trailer of a road vehicle. This is obsolete, the current
   semi-trailers have road wheels only and are carried on specially
   adapted trucks when moving on rails, for specific details see
   Roadrailer.

   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 do not
   wish, or do not 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 is moving, leading to occasional fatalities.

Famous train routes

   Famous historical train services include the:
     * Orange Blossom Special - New York, NY to Miami, FL.
     * Orient Express in Europe.
     * Super Chief - Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA.
     * Trans-Siberian in Russia.
     * Blue Train in South Africa.
     * Train-de-Luxe from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls.
     * Chihuahua al Pacifico in Mexico.
     * Glacier Express in Switzerland.
     * Palace on Wheels in Rajasthan, India.
     * Frontier Mail and Grand Trunk Express, India.
     * Broadway Limited New York, NY to Chicago, IL.
     * The Canadian in Canada.
     * 20th Century Limited New York, NY to Chicago, IL.
     * City of New Orleans Chicago, IL to New Orleans, LA.
     * California Zephyr Chicago, IL to San Francisco, CA.
     * Indian Pacific and The Ghan in Australia (long-distance rail).
     * Puffing Billy and The Gulflander in Australia (heritage and
       touring).
     * Rheingold Express in The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland,
       following the course of the Rhine.
     * Deccan Queen Mumbai to Pune, India.
     * Flying Scotsman, London to Edinburgh, in the United Kingdom.
     * Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions, Stettler, Alberta, to Big
       Valley, Alberta, Canada.

Fictional trains

     * Hogwarts Express: Harry Potter book series
     * Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends — TV Series originated from The
       Railway Series by the Rev.W.Awdry
     * The Polar Express — From the book of the same name, this train
       takes children to the North Pole.
     * Silver Streak Appeared in two movies, the 1934 thriller Silver
       Streak and the 1976 comedy with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.
     * Taggart Comet ( Atlas Shrugged)
     * The Great Train Robbery — feature film based on a true story, also
       title of a modern film.
     * Starlight Express ( Andrew Lloyd Webber) — Musical about an old
       steam engine being replaced by an electrical engine.
     * Galaxy Express 999 — From the manga and anime of the same name by
       Leiji Matsumoto, this train travels the galaxy from planet to
       planet.
     * Runaway Train — Film about escaped inmates on a runaway train.
     * Atomic Train — TV movie (1999) A runaway train carrying an atomic
       bomb into a town.
     * Astrotrain A Decepticon triple-changer from the Transformers More
       Than Meets the Eye character line.
     * Supertrain — One of the biggest television disasters ever.
     * "The Celestial Railroad" — Short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne
     * The Taking of Pelham 123 — 1974 film adapted from the John Godey
       novel of the same name about the hijacking of a New York Subway
       train.

   External links: List of Railway Movies (as of December 5, 1995).

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Train"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
