History of China's Bullet Train

State planning for China's high speed railway began in the early 1990s. The Ministry of Railways (MOR) submitted a proposal to build a high speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai to the National People's Congress in December 1990.[9] At the time, the existing Beijing-Shanghai railway was already reaching capacity, and the proposal was jointly studied by the Science & Technology Commission, State Planning Commission, State Economic & Trade Commission, and the MOR.[9] In December 1994, the State Council commissioned a feasibility study for the line.[9] Policy planners debated the necessity and economic viability of high-speed rail service. Supporters argued that high-speed rail would boost future economic growth. Opponents noted that high-speed rail in other countries were expensive and mostly unprofitable. Overcrowding on existing rail lines, they said, could be solved by expanding capacity through higher speed and frequency of service. In 1995, Premier Li Peng announced that preparatory work on the Beijing Shanghai HSR would begin in the 9th Five Year Plan (1996–2000), but construction was not scheduled until the first decade of the 21st century.In 2007, a French train set the locomotive speed record by hitting 360 miles per hour. Given a pair of wings we wouldn't be surprised if that train could take flight. But, while the record was most impressive, that bullet train was an experimental vehicle carrying no passengers, two power cars and only three rail cars. A new high-speed rail in China that will cut the commute from Beijing to Shanghai from 10 hours to four just set its own record, hitting 302 miles per hour.

So why is 302 mph a record when the French hit 360? Because China's new bullet car was toting 16 cars, some of which were carrying passengers. Even more interesting is the fact that the train will actually be in service in 2011. Perhaps the most exciting part is that the train didn't just crest 302 and then settle back to more pedestrian speeds. Instead, the streamlined super-train was consistently traveling at speeds of 260 mph before cranking up the after-burners past the magic 300 number and then finally settling back at a robust 260. Passengers aboard the bullet claim that the ride isn't much different than the 150-mph train they were used to.


http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/10/chinese-bullet-train-sets-300-mph-speed-record/