What was the Japanese bullet train inspired by?

The engineers looked to nature to re-design the bullet train. They noticed how kingfisher birds are able to slice through the air and dive into the water to catch prey while barely making a splash. They then re-designed the front end of the train to mimic the shape of the kingfisher's beak.



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(1) A streamlined body: To achieve speeds of 200 kilometers per hour (130 miles per hour) and more, the trains needed to be as aerodynamic (to cause as little wind resistance) as possible. That is why the front cars of the Shinkansen trains are tapered like the nose of an airplane.

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The defining features of these and other recent Shinkansen trains are their extraordinarily long noses, designed not to improve their aerodynamics, but primarily to eliminate sonic booms caused by the “piston effect” of trains entering tunnels and forcing compression waves out of the other end at supersonic speeds.

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Trains originally reached top speeds of 130 miles (210 km) per hour, but improvements in track, train cars, and other components have made possible maximum speeds of between 150 and 185 miles (240 and 300 km) per hour. In early 2013 some trains began operating at up to 200 miles (320 km) per hour.

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The term bullet train comes from the early stages of planning the Shinkansen back in 1939, and comes from the Japanese word dangan ressha (????), and is a clear reference to the bullet shape noise of the first Shinkansen train series.

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The engineers looked to nature to re-design the bullet train. They noticed how kingfisher birds are able to slice through the air and dive into the water to catch prey while barely making a splash. They then re-designed the front end of the train to mimic the shape of the kingfisher's beak.

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Instead, what makes the Shinkansen (and any Ltd. Express train) more expensive then regular trains is a hefty standard surcharge: the supplementary special-express ticket, which covers the premium experience of traveling on the nice fast trains. And yes, you have to pay it even if you have to stand.

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Passenger revenue of JR Central Shinkansen in Japan FY 2012-2021. In the fiscal year 2021, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) earned around 589.8 billion Japanese yen of revenues from its high-speed railway Shinkansen, increasing from roughly 417.3 trillion in the preceding year.

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Big pressure changes outside the train can have an effect in the carriages themselves, particularly where there's not much clearance between the top of the train and the roof of the tunnel. This is why your ears sometimes pop when travelling through tunnels at high speed.

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The bullet train, or “Shinkansen”, is a type of passenger train which operates on Japan's high-speed railway network.

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Bullet Train: An Unprecedented Payday The film, known for its heart-pounding action sequences and star-studded cast, provided Bullock with another opportunity to showcase her acting chops. However, the mind-boggling payday she secured sets this role apart—a jaw-dropping $20 million.

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