Meeting Details:
Next meeting: Tuesday Feb 7th @ 7pm
Wisconsin Energy Institute. Enter on the East Side
(closest to the intersection of University & Old University)
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Interesting Engineering
Central Japan Railways
Ever since 2000, Central Japan Railways has sponsored UW interns to spend 2-8 weeks in Japan seeing every aspect of the company and experiencing the incredible culture of Japan.
This summer will mark the first time in three years that interns will finally return to Japan. Unfortunately, the internship was canceled in 2020, then in 2021 & 2022 the internship was held virtually.
Applications to the internship are open to all UW-Madison undergraduate students and are due by February 19th.
However, here is some background on Central Japan Railway Company:
One of seven high-speed rail lines in Japan
Privatized in 1987
Operates Tokyo to Osaka (Takaido Shinkansen)
60% of Japan’s Population lies along the route
64% of the GDP of the country
Carries more passengers than United, Delta, American or Southwest Airlines (2019)
466,000 passengers a day
United Airlines only carries 433,000
Amtrak only carries 87,000
Trains operate at 305 mph
Local conventional lines up to 110 mph
Taikado Shinkansen up to 186 mph
Building the 305 mph SC maglev Tokyo-Nagoya (2028)
In 2019
Revenues of 16.9 Billion USD
Operating Income of $6.4 billion
$745 million Real Estate Division
United States Projects:
Texas Central Railways (American-owned company)
Northeast Maglev (American-owned company)
Internship program – UW, Texas A&M, and Maryland
UW-Madison & JR Central have a 20+ year relationship
From the Captain:
2030 is the Year we get true High Speed Rail in the US
Why 2030 is looking to be the year that High Speed Rail finally arrives in America.
Well, America has been promised high speed rail for 40 years now. Where is it? and why would 2030 be any different?
Today we only have 49.9 miles of rails rated for 150 mph passenger service. Meanwhile, China has 26,000 miles, Spain has 2,251 miles, Japan has 1,759 miles, and even Uzbekistan has 370 miles of high speed rail lines. Boy the USA is really slow (out of these countries the United States has the most amount of railroad tracks at over 140,000 miles of track).
However, there are four major projects underway to speed up America, all with planned opening dates around 2030. They are:
2030:
California High Speed Rail from Merced to Bakersfield (and shortly thereafter extended to San Francisco & Los Angeles. 185+ mph
Brightline West from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. 185+ mph
The Northeast Maglev from Washington DC to Baltimore (and eventually extended on to New York. 300+ mph
Texas Central Railways from Houston to Dallas 185+ mph
Now there are other projects underway. Later this year Amtrak is planning new Acela train sets which will increase speeds along the Northeast Corridor from Boston to Washington DC. Then this year Brightline East will start 125 mph service from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando.
Sadly, there are no Hyperloop plans for the US beyond the Tesla cars in the tunnel under the Las Vegas convention center in Las Vegas. So those plans have gone down the tube.
But there is a lot to be excited about high-speed rail in the US. Then as we near the end of this decade with will start to see more and more high-speed rail finally coming to America.
So hold and finally we can travel faster!