
Train speed record set between London and Bristol - edward
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2019/09/30/train-speed-record-set-between-london-and-bristol/
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fnord77
> A new _modern_ speed record has been set for a train running between Bristol
> Temple Meads and London Paddington of just 1 hour and 12 minutes

...

> Before the safety restrictions came in to effect, the fastest train had
> managed to do the run in just over 68 minutes, which was done in 1977.

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ulfw
Why is this posted here? This isn't speedy on a global scale

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melling
I’m not sure why it’s posted.

However, efforts like this will make people take trains rather than drive. I
wish this would happen in the United States.

If trains went 100 miles an hours on average instead of 50, a lot more people
would take trains.

Heck, 75 miles an hour on average would be incredible.

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beatgammit
Can confirm, the commuter train here runs ~75 mph and is quite popular. Then
again, it's competing with 70mph highway.

I have looked into taking Amtrak several times, but it takes 2-3x as long as
driving, 5-10x as long as flying, is more expensive than both, and has far
fewer destinations. It's a hard sell for anything other than taking a train
for the experience or short distances. Trains should be _cheaper_ than
airplanes and _faster_ than cars, but they're neither in the US...

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cannonedhamster
Yes I've often wondered why trains are so expensive compared to airplanes as
well. We have a him but it's literally cheaper and faster to fly and that
makes no sense.

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benplumley
It's not in the article for some reason, but the distance is 188km (following
the rail line, not as the crow flies), giving an average speed of 157km/h or
97mph.

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murphysbooks
I know this was in England, but I always think of Bristol TN whenever I see
"Bristol". So, I assumed everyone drowned.

