Transport systems: Rail

It's the 1700s, and the Industrial Revolution has started in Europe. For about 200 years, railways have been used to move wagons of coal and other minerals through tunnels with the help of horses. But with the invention of the steam engine, now steam locomotives can pull heavier loads much further distances. And not just cars of coal, but also passenger cars! This is the beginning of the train.

Today, rail is one of the most important, commonly-used and cost effective modes of moving goods and people over long — and short — distances. Most modern trains travel on two rails. Their locomotives don’t run on steam anymore, but on electricity or diesel. Some trains operate underground in tunnels where they form metro or subway systems. Together, trains and subways make up rail transport, an important part of the land transportation system.

Trains are still important for hauling bulky, heavy cargo — from automobiles and aeroplane parts to grain and wheat. Even cows can be transported by train! Trains that carry goods like these are called freight trains. A single freight train can have over 200 cars! This allows them to transport much more than a single truck.

Trains also carry passengers. In some countries, trains carry up to half of all travellers in cities. Because trains can hold hundreds of passengers at once, they are useful for reducing automobile traffic in cities. Some of the newest all-electric locomotives are called bullet trains because of their shape and ability to travel at high speeds. In some places, they can travel faster than 300 kilometres per hour!

Another kind of train does not roll on wheels at all; it does not even touch the tracks! This is a maglev train. The Shanghai maglev train carries passengers 35 kilometres in just seven minutes using electromagnetic force. Getting from place to place on the rail transport system requires more than just the train itself. It involves tracks, personnel, infrastructure like bridges and stations, and computers to control the whole operation.

Some of these parts are very complex! For instance, the locomotive that pulls the train has engines, generators, electric motors, wheels, lights, and whistles. It is its own system, within the larger rail transport system. It is a subsystem. The rail transport system relies on many subsystems to get people and goods from one place to another.

For example, people with lots of different skills are needed to operate rail systems: conductors, fare collectors, engineers, security, custodians, and maintenance workers. They make up the transit management subsystem. Trains have transformed people's lives the world over. They can easily move bulky cargo and they are faster -- sometimes much faster -- than travel by road. Another advantage of railway systems is that trains are, on average, three to four times more fuel-efficient than trucks.

It takes only one litre of fuel for a locomotive to haul a tonne of goods more than 200 kilometres. This means that trains burn less fossil fuels, and as a result release fewer harmful gasses into the environment. When it comes to moving goods and people, trains are a more environmentally friendly transport option. As the world looks for new ways to tackle pollution, and as more and more people across the world move into cities, the number of trains being used in public transportation systems is increasing. Building safe, affordable, low-pollution, and cost-effective railway systems is a very important task for many countries in the future.