Britain's first 140mph train service begins... but commuters face paying almost £50 for a London-to-Ashford return

By Daily Mail Reporter

Britain's first first full domestic high-speed rail service opened for business this morning - slashing journey times but bumping up ticket prices by around 20 per cent.

A full timetable of the Japanese-built 140mph trains is now running from London to Kent, on sections of the High Speed one (HS1) Channel Tunnel rail link.

But passengers have to pay more to use the super-fast trains, operated by the Southeastern train company, than those using the 'normal' services.

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Commuters alight from a Javelin train at St Pancras Station in London on the first day of the new high-speed Javelin train services

And even those Southeastern customers not using the 508-passenger Javelins will find their fares going up by more than the national average in January 2010 as part of Southeastern's franchise agreement.

The Javelins were first introduced in limited form in June this year as part of a 'preview service'.

Those taking advantage of the new trains will find that a peak-time Ashford-London return will be £48.70 compared with the normal fare of £40.60, while London-Folkestone will be £52.50 rather than £44.40.

Ashford is around 50 miles from London.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown today hailed the service and promised to invest £20 billion in railway infrastructure in the next few years.

Mr Brown also announced that the Government would publish plans by the end of March for a North-South high-speed rail network.

The Prime Minister, just back from a tour of Afghanistan, was speaking at St Pancras International Station in London, where the first weekday services of the full Javelin train operation run by the Southeastern train company started today.

Mr Brown greeted his Transport Secretary Lord Adonis and double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes, who had travelled on one of the Javelin trains today.

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New service: Gordon Brown and Dame Kelly Holmes launch the new high-speed javelin service at London St Pancras Station, with Transport Secretary Lord Adonis

The train has drastically reduced journey times from Kent into London, although Southeastern passengers are all paying more, both to use the service and in other fares to pay for the investment.

Mr Brown, speaking on one of the Southeastern platforms at St Pancras, said: 'This is a great day for St Pancras and for Kent, rail services in this area and for the UK.

'This is also a momentous day in the long and glorious history of British railways.'

Mr Brown said the railways have been essential for Britain and will always be essential to the country.

He said: 'I know some people who think this is not the time to be investing in infrastructure but I believe it is essential to do so and we will be investing £20 billion in our rail infrastructure in the next few years.'

Where the service will run

HS2, a Government set-up company to look into the feasibility of a north-south high-speed rail line, is due to report to the Government with its findings by the end of this month.

Mr Brown said today that following receipt of the report, the Government would be publishing its plans for a high-speed line by the end of March.

The Prime Minister said that later today Lord Adonis will be announcing the electrification of rail lines between Manchester and Liverpool and Preston.

The train that Lord Adonis and Dame Kelly travelled on today was named after the Olympic champion and is one of 29 that will form the high-speed service, running on part of the Channel Tunnel high-speed London to Folkestone line, which is now known as HS1.

Dame Kelly said today: 'I am from Kent so this is a very proud day for me. For my name to be on a train is really something.'

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Gordon Brown in front of a train named after athlete Kelly Holmes at St Pancras Station in London on the first day of the new high speed Javelin train services

The new trains have been running on a limited basis since June, with a full service starting yesterday, and today it provided workers with their first opportunity to take advantage of reduced journey times to many Kent destinations.

For example, the Ashford to London journey time comes down from well over an hour to just 37 minutes.

London to Ramsgate times - now 81 minutes - are reduced by an average of 49 minutes, while the new London-Dover time of 69 minutes represents a 47-minute saving.

Customers seemed pleased with the new service today, although they are paying more to use it than they would travelling on the 'normal' trains.

Operations manager Mike Arnold, 40, from Chatham, Kent, said as he arrived at St Pancras today: 'It's fine. It's cool.'

Another passenger arriving at London, civil engineer Russell Naylor, 52, said: 'The new service is very good.'

Mr Naylor, from Lympne, Kent, who was travelling from Ashford, said he normally travelled in on a Sunday evening to London but was more likely to take the Monday morning services from now on.

One passenger who was less enthusiastic about the new service was budget manager Paul Tierney, 57, from Chatham, Kent. He said: 'The train was cold. I am feeling chilly.'

Passengers are paying more to use the new service and under the terms of Southeastern's franchise, annual fare increases for its passengers are higher than for other train companies, to take account of the extra investment and the fast trains.

Southeastern's regulated fares, which include season tickets, will go up by 1.6 per cent in January while some unregulated fares, which include some off-peak journeys, will rise by as much as 7.3 per cent.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1235685/UKs-140mph-javelin-train-services-launched--passengers-pay-speed.html#ixzz0Zm1nKNO2

The World's 5 Fastest Trains You Can Ride RIght Now

On Aug. 24, the applications for rail stimulus were due—and now the states that applied are waiting on the Federal Railroad Administration's picks for approved projects. While the $13 billion in stimulus will not make the U.S. a train-commuting country overnight, and may, in fact, make some states unhappy (in July, 40 states preapplied, seeking $102 billion in aid for high-speed rail projects, nearly 10 times what is actually being doled out by the federal government), it is a start for high-speed rail. Here, we take a look at the five fastest trains in the world—inspirations in design and technology for the future of high speed in the U.S.

By Allie Haake

Trains are en vogue again in the United States. State governments are lining up for federal stimulus money to fix existing routes and develop high-speed passenger rail lines; by Aug. 24, the last day to submit most applications, 40 states had requested a piece of the $13 billion for new rail projects. The Federal Railroad Administration will award grants to the approved applications beginning in late September or early October. California wants to be the American trailblazer for renewed rail travel, and, last week, submitted 42 applications, worth $1.1 billion. And the state wants more than just additional trains—it wants them to go faster. "We're the only major industrial nation on earth that doesn't have [a high-speed rail network]," Tony Daniels, the California High-Speed Rail Authority's program director, tells PM. "Now is the time for us to step up to the plate, to belong to the world that has high-speed trains." Until this country transitions to more Acela-style trains (maxing out at 150 mph), the next step—to truly high-speed rail travel—can only be found elsewhere in the world. Here, we outline the five fastest trains—inspiring design and technology for rail's future in the U.S.

Shanghai Maglev

The Specs
Location /// China; shuttles between the Longyang Road Station in the Pudong district of Shanghai to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport Longest Run /// 19 miles	Top Speed During Commercial Transit /// 268 mph Top Speed Recorded /// 311 mph
The Tech
The Shanghai airport-to-suburb maglev is the first and fastest commercial high-speed maglev in the world. Unlike standard wheel-to-rail trains, maglev trains are repelled 1 mm to 10 mm away from the track by a magnetized coil within the track, called a guideway. Maglev trains gain high speeds quickly and lack troublesome moving parts, such as wheels, transmissions, brakes and axles. Skeptics of the system argue that the magnetically charged train is costly to build and has no guarantee to work well over long distances.

Alta Velocidad Espanola (AVE)

The Specs
Location /// Spain; connects four major cities: Madrid, Seville, Malaga and Barcelona Longest Run /// 410 miles	Top Speed During Commercial Transit /// 210 mph Top Speed Recorded /// 227 mph
The Tech
Now spreading across much of the country, the AVE links several major cities in Spain with high-speed rail. The first commercial line of the AVE system started service in 1992, built to accommodate travel during that year's Expo World Fair. Now, the same line traverses the 293 miles between Madrid and Seville at speeds up to 186 mph, cutting almost one hour off the previous commute time. Branching out north and south from Madrid, the AVE uses standard 1435-mm-gauge tracks instead of the 1668-mm rail gauge that Spain used almost exclusively prior to the AVE. The system also runs on the more mainstream 25-kilovolt AC, as opposed to the domestic 3-kilovolt DC. By designing the railway to run on the same gauge lines and voltage as most of Europe and the United States, among other countries, Spain has indicated its intent to connect with railways from other countries. One of several projects in the works to expand the AVE to other countries is construction on a 28-mile line under the Pyrenees mountain range connecting Figueras, Spain, to Perpignan, France, standing as the second privately financed international rail link in the world (after the Channel Tunnel).

Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway

The Specs
Location /// China; Beijing to Tianjin Longest Run /// 71 miles	Top Speed During Commercial Transit /// 217 mph Top Speed Recorded /// 245 mph
The Tech
Beginning service in 2008, the line connecting Beijing and Tianjin is one of the world's fastest conventional trains. The intercity line, topping out at 217 mph, runs elevated on viaduct for 62 miles and makes stops at Beijing, Yizhuang, Wuqing and Tianjin. The train features a ballastless track system, with its rails supported on a continuous slab of concrete, making the base for the track stronger and requiring less maintenance than traditional track. The high-speed rail has changed the Beijing-to-Tianjin commute from 70 minutes to 30 minutes and, in its first year, the line has transported 18.7 million passengers.

Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV)

The Specs
Location /// France; train branches out from the main hub of Paris to more than 200 cities in France, including Avignon, Dijon, Lyon and Nice. Longest Run /// 538 miles	Top Speed During Commercial Transit /// 217 mph Top Speed Recorded /// 356 mph
The Tech
This line first connected Paris to Lyon in 1981, and since then, the TGV system has expanded rapidly, connecting the capital city to many cities across France and in adjacent countries. Holding the record as the fastest scheduled rail journey at an average speed of 174 mph, the TGV Paris-to-Marseille run is completed in 3 hours. Each train, running on a dual-voltage system, allows for the use of the mainstream 25-kilovolt AC and also the domestic 1.5-kilovolt DC system. The high-power capabilities have prepared the system to act as a primary force in connecting countries within Europe. And, to alert operators to the possibility of any unsafe levels of electrical interference during the operation of the high-speed trains, France has outfitted the TGV with interference-current-monitoring units.

Nozomi Shinkansen

The Specs
Location /// Japan; the Tokaido-Sanyo Shankansen line from Tokyo to Hakata Longest Run /// 664 miles	Top Speed During Commercial Transit /// 186 mph Top Speed Recorded /// NA*
The Tech
The fastest line of the Shinkansen system, the Nozomi train travels the 320-mile distance from Tokyo to Osaka in less than 2.5 hours. This speed has increased significantly since the bullet train was first inaugurated in Japan in 1964, when this distance took a little over3 hours. The Nozomi cars are equipped with lightweight technology: a tilting system that uses lightweight air springs to lift one side of the car during a curve in the track. Advanced construction and materials—strong and unbreakable polycarbonate windows with reduced window-to-body edge and a scratch-resistant coating—add significant speed and durability to the cars.

*Both the German InterCityExpress (ICE) and the Nozomi Shinkansen, reach normal running speeds of 186 mph, but, in trial runs, the Nozomi's network wins. The ICE has reached speeds of 229 mph. While the top speed recorded for the Nozomi Shankansen, the fastest line on the network, was not available, trains on the same network have topped speeds of 275 mph.

IBM hops aboard high-speed rail

by Martin LaMonica

Imagine traveling by rail at 200 miles per hour between cities, and then catching a local line to your final destination

IBM on Wednesday plans to announce details of three rail projects outside the U.S. that bring that vision of efficient and convenient rail travel closer to reality. Overall, the projects in China, Taiwan, and the Netherlands show how rail travel can reduce urban congestion and cut down on pollution from transportation, said IBM.

Investments in rail--and high-speed rail, in particular--are a significant portion of many of the government-sponsored stimulus spending programs around the world. The U.S. is poised to put about $8 billion in upgrading the rail network and developing high-speed rail "corridors."

But establishing an effective network of high-speed trains is more than building faster locomotives. A large portion of what makes a successful network is its computer technology, according to IBM, which is angling for government business in transportation and rail.

(Credit: Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation)

"We're seeing a spike in projects and when you start moving people and trains at 350 kilometers an hour (218 mph), you need to start focusing on smarter trains and higher levels of safety to operate effectively," said Keith Dierkx, business development executive for travel and logistics at IBM's Global Technology Services consulting arm.

The U.S. rail network right now uses RFID tags to help railroad operators keep track of some inventory as trains roll past RFID readers. But a more sophisticated network of wireless sensors providing real-time updates will be increasingly important to the spread of high-speed rail, said Robert Goodwin, transportation industry analyst at Gartner. Amtrak's Acela line, which goes from Washington D.C. to Boston, tops out at 150 miles per hour, a speed that's limited by twisting tracks through most of the journey.

"These trains move so rapidly, you can't afford to have any errors so you need current feedback," Goodwin said. "There's a lot you can do based on what you didn't know 10 seconds ago. It gives you a chance to be more nimble."

Sensors could also ensure that hazardous materials aren't tampered with on rail cars and video scanners could automate safety checks on equipment, said IBM's Dierkx.

In the meantime, however, IBM's rail work has focused primarily on keeping the trains running on time. Its customers used a mix of IBM software and services to improve service and maintenance.

Netherlands Railways used software from Ilog, which IBM bought last year, to optimize its schedule to best match its equipment--5,000 trains, 390 stations, and 2,800 kilometers of track--with passenger travel. By fine-tuning this complex system, the rail authority lowered its operating costs between 5 and 10 percent, saving about 20 million euros a year, according to IBM.

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation is using an "asset-management package," which IBM gained when it acquired MRO Software, to get trains running from the north side of the island to the south with a punctuality rate of 99.15 percent. The 90-minute trip replaces what would be a 4 1/2-hour trip by convention rail.

The Guangzhou Metro in China also used the Maximo asset-management to help operators manage cars, tracks, and signaling equipment for peaks in demand--like during soccer games--and stay on top of equipment maintenance.

Killing congestion
Part of the reason that rail travel is being promoted is that it's a relatively energy-efficient way to move both people and freight, said Dierkx.

On average, U.S. passenger trains emit less than half the global warming pollution per passenger mile than a typical car carrying a single person, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. A train can move a ton of freight 436 miles on one gallon of fuel, almost four times better than truck transport, according to the Association of American Railroads.

Traffic jams are also responsible for billions of dollars in lost productivity, Dierkx said. Rail travel serves as at least a partial solution to the trend toward giant megacities around the world where traffic is a serious problem.

"As a mode of transportation, rail has always been efficient and effective. There hasn't been the urgency around the environment and congestion issues," he said. "Especially in these megacities, the ability to effectively move citizenry around the country by rail may be the only way to do it effectively. And it's a green way to do it as well."

Speeding to the U.S.?
In the U.S., the country's rail infrastructure is due for a significant upgrade and, potentially, new high-speed rails projects that France, Germany, and Japan have had for years. Dierkx predicted that in five years, China will have more high-speed rail lines than any other country.

The U.S. stimulus plan dedicated $8 billion of funding for rail. The Obama Administration's budget calls for an additional $5 billion for high-speed rail grants over the next five years, according to the Association of American Railroads.

The Federal Railroad Administration is scheduled to publish a strategic plan for spending the $8 billion in the stimulus plan, which is expected to include a vision for high-speed rail corridors. Already, $1.3 billion has been set aside for Amtrak for intercity travel and $450 million to upgrade the safety of existing rail infrastructure.

However, transportation experts point out there are at least 11 proposed high-speed rail corridors in the U.S., each of which would cost billions of dollars to install. A project to build a fast train between northern and southern California alone would cost $45 billion.

As a result, IBM considers government funding for high-speed rail is the equivalent of "seed money" for large projects, said Ken Donnelly, transportation strategy manager for IBM's Maximo asset-management product. As problems over traffic congestion and pollution become more acute, IBM's Dierkx expects interest in rail to gain steam.

"In an economic downturn, a lot of green initiatives can come under pressure if you don't have strategic foresight," he said.

Martin LaMonica is a senior writer for CNET's Green Tech blog. He started at CNET News in 2002, covering IT and Web development. Before that, he was executive editor at IT publication InfoWorld. E-mail Martin.