The TGV

The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, meaning high-speed train) is France's high -speed rail service.

It started in the 1970s. Originally, it was powered by gas turbines. But in 1973, the TGV was changed into electric trains. The TGV service first started between Paris and Lyon in 1981. Later, the network connected other cities in France with Paris.

A TGV test train set the world record for the fastest conventional wheeled train on 3 April 2007. It reached the speed of 574.8 km/h (357.2 m/h) on the test run. But the regular TGV trains operate at the highest speed of 320 km/h (200 m/h). It is the present world record of speed of a conventional commercial train.

Bullet Train

The Bullet Train is the network of high-speed train service in Japan. It started operation in 1964 on a limited route. But at present, most major cities of Japan come under the network.

The Bullet Train runs at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 m/h). It plans to increase speed up to 320 km/h (200 mph). In 2003, Japan set the world record for unconventional magnetic trainsets. In a test run, the speed was 581 km/h (361 mph). But it is not yet in regular commercial operation.

The High-speed Rail

The High-speed Rail The High-speed Rail service in China started operation on April 18, 2007. Currently China has started building a high-speed passenger rail network. It will be similar to French TGV or Japanese Bullet Trains. The usual top speed of China's conventional quick trains is 300 km/h (186 mph).

Recently China has set the world record of a speed of 487.3 km/h (303 mph). In 2011, this record was set by an unconventional magnetic trainset called the "Harmony Express". This is the highest speed of an unconventional magnetic trainset in regular commercial operation.