I love to look at old steam locomotives and think trains look spectacular in movies. Thus, I was looking forward to this episode of Modern Marvels. It turned out to be a little disappointing, although a few things were interesting.
This program got very technical on how trains are run, assembled, repaired, etc. Sometimes it got a little too bogged down in the details. Still, these pieces of machinery are so impressive, not just in looks but in function. They aren't relics of the past, either, still able to move things at a cheaper rate, for instance, than trucks.
We also get glimpses of the modern-day speed demons: the TGV from France and the Maglev from China and Japan. Both trains can go 350-plus miles per hour! Unlike the TGV, the Maglev's wheels never touch the rails. This train is powered by magnetic forces. It's pretty amazing and America is hoping to have a version of it in about 5-8 years, albeit slower but one that will alleviate big-city traffic congestion.
Also in this episode are looks at locomotives which guide big boats through the Panama Canal and ones that haul tons of coal underneath the hills of Pennsylvania.
This program got very technical on how trains are run, assembled, repaired, etc. Sometimes it got a little too bogged down in the details. Still, these pieces of machinery are so impressive, not just in looks but in function. They aren't relics of the past, either, still able to move things at a cheaper rate, for instance, than trucks.
We also get glimpses of the modern-day speed demons: the TGV from France and the Maglev from China and Japan. Both trains can go 350-plus miles per hour! Unlike the TGV, the Maglev's wheels never touch the rails. This train is powered by magnetic forces. It's pretty amazing and America is hoping to have a version of it in about 5-8 years, albeit slower but one that will alleviate big-city traffic congestion.
Also in this episode are looks at locomotives which guide big boats through the Panama Canal and ones that haul tons of coal underneath the hills of Pennsylvania.
