The Development of Rail Transport

Since the appearance of trains, rail transport has undergone huge developments. The first locomotives were powered by steam, which were followed by diesel locomotives. Nowadays, electric locomotives are the most prevalent ones, but new technologies are in use as well. Regarding intracontinental passenger transport, trains are again considered to be true rivals to air transport as they are more energy efficient, more environmentally friendly, there are no long boarding procedures and trains are beginning to
match the speed of aeroplanes.

The British engineer, George Stephenson’s (1791–1848) most famous locomotive was called ‘Rocket’. The reliable construction won a competition organised by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company in 1829. When the railway line was opened in 1830, the ‘Rocket’ locomotives hauled the first successful passenger trains of the world.

The world’s first locomotive that was powered by AC current was put into operation in 1898 on the shores of Lake Geneva. Electric propulsion was improved by the Hungarian engineer, Kálmán Kandó (1869–1931), and thanks to him, it became possible to operate high-performance electric locomotives efficiently with single-phase high-voltage AC current obtained from the electric grid.

It was designed by Robert Riddles for British Railways. It was one of the last steam engines put into operation, so the latest steam technology was used for its construction. Until 1955, 45 locomotives of this type were manufactured, but by 1967 there were none left in operation, even though, their intended lifespan was 40 years.
The era of steam locomotives came to its end.

By the mid-1960s in most countries, steam locomotives had been replaced by diesel ones. One of the most iconic types of which was the 106 ton locomotive manufactured by the Swedish NOHAB, powered by a 1950 horsepower engine. Thousands of them ran on tracks all over the world, and some of them are still in use today as well. Besides
its technological features, its rounded shape made it popular among passengers. It became the symbol of the economic prosperity
of the 1960s; its photo even appeared on contemporary stamps.

High-speed trains require not only adequate engines and carriages, but adequate tracks as well. Even in its first year, the TGV could reach speeds of 260 km/h at certain points of its track. Nowadays their cruising speed can be as high as 320 km/h. Albeit under special conditions, the TGV set the speed world record for trains running on steel wheels and conventional tracks (570 km/h).

The constructions needed for trains form an integral part of rail transport. The Channel Tunnel, which is an undersea tunnel that links the coasts of England and France, was selected among the seven modern wonders of the world. It claims the record of the longest undersea section (38 km). It consists of 3 parallel tunnels: two rail tunnels and a service tunnel in the middle.

Maglev trains do not have wheels, they use magnetic levitation to reach high speeds. One of these trains connects Shanghai’s downtown with Shanghai Pudong International Airport, at a distance of 30 km. During its journey, the train runs at a speed of 500 km/h, in other words, it almost reaches the speed of aeroplanes. Because of this, maglev trains can be a good alternative to aeroplanes when it comes to intra-continental travel.