SoylentNews
SoylentNews is people
https://soylentnews.org/

turgid writes:

Back in the olden days (1960s) there was a British Rail research project to develop a train that could travel at high speed on Birtain's 19th Century railway lines. The project became the Advanced Passenger Train.

The APT employed a tilting mechanism to allow it to go around curves up to 40% faster than conventional trains. It could achieve speeds of 160mph, when not held up by slower traffic. There were even gas turbine-powered prototypes, however in 1981 three electrical trains were built.

Unfortunately, the journalists invited to experience the first Glasgow to London run were plied with drink and reported that the tilting mechanism made them feel sick. Mechanical problems followed, and the trains were withdrawn from service.

They were reintroduced in 1984 but were withdrawn in 1986 for good.

The technology was adopted by other companies in France and Italy, and now Virgin Trains uses the tilting Italian/French Pendolinos on the West Coast Main Line.

[Amtrak in the USA uses tilting technology on the Acela Express line along the Northeast Corridor. -Ed.]

Original Submission

1. "turgid" - https://soylentnews.org/~turgid/
2. "Advanced Passenger Train" - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35061511
3. "Acela Express" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express
4. "Northeast Corridor" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Corridor
5. "Original Submission" - https://soylentnews.org/submit.pl?op=viewsub&subid=11354

printed from SoylentNews, The Advanced Passenger Train on 2023-05-26 10:12:43