India is building its first-ever high-speed railway test track, adding further shape to the country's massive 7 trillion rupee (nearly $83 billion) investment in track infrastructure over the next decade.
Railway Supply reported news of the forthcoming test track and branded it a "milestone achievement" for the nation. It will be operated by India's state-run railway system, Indian Railways, and comes with a price tag of 8.2 billion rupees (just over $97 million).
The approximately 37-mile track will be able to support trials for bullet trains that go over 140 mph. Its location is about 50 miles away from Jaipur, and the test track will also support testing for the semi-high-speed and metro trains that constitute much of India's current daily passenger service.
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The aim will be to use the test track to incorporate new technologies like bullet trains while avoiding any disruption in the already-existing train infrastructure. The test track's scope is expansive. It features 136 bridges — including seven large ones — and four train stations built with resilient, corrosion-resistant materials.
The tracks include several specialized loops tailored to test specific aspects, such as an 8-mile loop designed for high-speed testing and a 4.3-mile loop to assess damaged tracks.
Railway Supply asserted that the test track will enable Indian Railways to do all testing domestically, thereby reducing the need for external facilities and optimizing regular service in India.
India's commitment to high-speed rail is great news for the planet. A study on China, a global leader in bullet trains, showed that rail produces just one-seventh of the carbon pollution of air transit per passenger. India has already bought land for the forthcoming bullet trains.
The country's Vande Bharat Express has turned heads with its high-speed 110 mph trains, so you can only imagine the reception for new bullet trains that will go even faster. Passengers have similarly marveled at the speed and comforts of bullet trains in Taiwan, China, Indonesia, and Japan.
High-speed rail isn't limited to Asia. Exciting developments abound in America, where long-discussed plans like a Las Vegas to Los Angeles project and a Houston to Dallas one are finally getting underway. In Europe, meanwhile, a traveler raved about a bullet train route between Florence and Rome.
Some countries are dreaming even bigger when it comes to rail travel.
While the project is being led by the UAE, a crazily ambitious 1,200-mile underwater train route from Fujairah to Mumbai is in the works and could revolutionize train travel as we know it, as The Brighter Side of News detailed. The UAE envisions the train going over 600 mph, while using panoramic windows for travelers to marvel at the wonders of the ocean.
Admittedly, this test track is more concrete than the UAE's grand plans. Right now, it has a targeted operational date of December 2025.
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