"High-speed rail" is admittedly one of those dry-sounding infrastructure phrases that conjures thoughts of schedules and itineraries, but footage of a bullet train in action is entirely different.
YouTube user Solo Travel Journal (@solotraveljournal) shared a largely wordless clip of Japan's Shinkansen, or bullet trains, whizzing through stations at full speed.
In the description, the user indicated they visited the Kurikoma-Kōgen Station and the Kitakami Station, and that the footage was captured at the latter.
As the first bullet train approached the Kitakami Station, it didn't look all that different from any other train, albeit sleek and futuristic.
However, as the YouTuber drew back to capture the train's blink-and-you'll-miss-it pass through the station, the power of "high-speed rail" became undeniable.
While the segment lacked a voiceover, it was captioned, and Solo Travel Journal said the first train's drive-by "was unbelievable."
According to a caption, the Tohoku Shinkansen line is the fastest, traveling at 320 kilometers (198 miles) an hour. A second train began to zoom past soon after the first.
"I can literally feel the change in air pressure," their caption read.
In May, the BBC observed that the United States has a population of over 340 million people, extensive interstate highways, and thousands of airports, but "currently no high-speed railways."
The outlet noted that while there isn't a firm speed threshold for what qualifies as high-speed rail, it is loosely defined as trains that travel at 250 miles per hour. Amtrak's Acela is considered the closest thing to it, but its speed is typically 150 miles per hour, topping out at 186.
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Would you feel comfortable traveling around America on a high-speed train? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 😎 High-speed rail has clearly caught on in Japan and China, as well as in parts of Europe, and clean transportation advocates have long argued that it is well past time for bullet trains to debut in the U.S.
Bullet trains make commutes faster, broaden economic growth, and create hubs, and a better rail network would cut the pollution generated by American reliance on cars. Journalist Will Doig specializes in the railroad industry and cited the latter as a major roadblock.
"We're a very car-addicted nation … and the US government has really shown a willingness to shut down investment in a lot of projects, especially rail," Doig observed.
Choosing public transport when available is one way to reduce individual emissions, and YouTube commenters envied Japan's ultra-fast, futuristic trains.
"The shinkansen are amazing," one replied.
"Japan is the future omg," another wistfully mused.
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