Super High-Speed Trains of Terror Plus Retro Future Random Encounters

Super High-Speed Trains of Terror Random Encounters Table 1d10 

1. Gang of Undead Mutant Teenagers 1d20 armed with Clubs, Knives, & Random Weapons, 3 hit points each 
2. 7 Wights 6 hit points each all former passengers 
3. A time traveler observing the train & its occupants 
4. Salary Man Undead Vampire 5 hit points & a nasty disposition 
5. Demonic conductor type 4 
6. Radical Mutant Terrorists  1d6 with random mutations 3 hit points & an attitude 
7. Demonic Cargo In Statis pod 40% of waking up type C or a demon lord on his way to his followers 
8. Another adventuring party that will see the current group as rivals 
9. A star ship crew on an expedition mission in time armed with energy weapons set to stun. There is 40% that their actually pirates pilfering the time stream of treasure 
10. A plague victim bound for spreading the disease of his demonic planar master. He's starting to sneeze 

Random Passenger Encounters 1d10 

1. Count & his family from Central Europe off visiting relatives 
2. A spy from the  Human Empire Era hiding out here. Armed & dangerous 
3. Zombie salesman 50% chance of being hungry 
4. Super models 1d10 20% of mutant powers 
5. Paleontologist on a mysterious mission 
6. A desparate family on a mission trying to find help 
7.  Inventor trying to escape his manic evil brother inlaw 
8. A group of rowdy salesmen 10% chance of mutant powers 
9. A ghost of a passenger who was run over by the same train your on 
10. A cyborg serial killer from the future 

Shinkansen "Bullet Trains" of Japan

One of the technological icons of modern Japan - "Bullet Trains" (or Shin-Kansen) are capable of super high-speeds with the usual speed of "just" 300 km/h. With the names like "Light", "Hope" and "Skylark" they swoop around Japanese countryside as an extensive rail network, partly described on this site. 

Looking more like supersonic jets than trains, with cool futuristic, slightly sinister forms, they represent the latest in train design and comfort.

(photo by Gary Hymes)

JR 800 is the Latest Machine - Does it go to the Asteroid Belt as well?

(these and following images via)

"In 1964 the first Shinkansen, the Tokaido Line, opened between Tokyo and Osaka, paralleling the renowned Tokaido Road that had linked Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto in samurai times." Here is somewhat older model:

Experimental WIN 350 train:

JR E3:

JR E4:

"Each line has its own name (Tokaido, Tohoku etc.), and each type of train is identified by a name (Nozomi, Hikari etc.). In the almost 40 years since it opened, the Shinkansen network has carried over 6 billion passengers without a single major accident. The Shinkansen network also boasts very high frequency. For example, at least six trains per hour (not per day!) operate between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka Stations during daytime hours."

JR 300:

"Hikari meaning 'light,' was the original Shinkansen service on the Tokaido/Sanyo Line. Since the introduction of the Nozomi trains, it now serves as the mid-level service making a few more stops, but still traveling very fast. Hikari trains link Tokyo and Osaka in about three hours."

JR 500 variation:

JR 500:

Photo by Nick Coutts

Photo by Dean Chamberland

"Meaning 'hope,' the Nozomi trains take only about 2.5 hours between Tokyo and Osaka, and roughly 5 hours from Tokyo all the way to the southern end of the island at Hakata (Fukuoka)". The high-speed rail network of Japan is commercially justified by very high population density of these areas, even though each train can cost up to $40 million US dollars.

Images credit denshaotaku365

Image credit Jugem

Storm Trooper's Special:

Blue trains over blue landscapes:

Other image source: www.hikejapan.com

For more pictures and comprehensive model catalog, click here

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FRENCH NEW RAIL SPEED RECORD

You probably heard about French beating previous train speed record of 515 km/h with the new TGV-based train V-150 with a supercharged engine and extra-wide wheels. New record is 574.8 km/h. Way to go, France! Next record-beating train will just soar into the air, grow some wings and fly across to England, or even overseas :)

Check out the offical record site, it has a better quality video.

Images credit: Alstom Transport / design and Styling

Image credit: Alstom Transport / P. Sautelet

Photos by Trains-en-voyage.com

Photo by jb0057

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I had an opportunity to take a TGV train from Paris to Cote D'Azur, and can testify how smooth and classy these are.

Some of my shots of the train and from the window:

(images credit: Avi Abrams)

From Brussels to Paris we took another high-speed line - "Thalys", which was even more comfortable:

(images credit: Avi Abrams)

Europe has some outstanding transportation design (many Japanese Shinkansen trains were designed in Germany). We saw lots of cool trains; here is one on Munich-Fussen line... at Sargans in Austria:

(images credit: Avi Abrams)

By the way, Austrian QBB plans the High Speed prototype of its own:

... and the view out of the windows is not bad either:

(images credit: Avi Abrams)

You can find even more useful information at Japan Rail especially about the real world bullet trains and the systems of the Japanese railways.

Oh well, in North America we have our SUVs and interstates - I can consider my Jeep a personal train which stops any time and goes anywhere I like.