How fast does a train usually travel?

Question

How fast does a train usually travel?

Answer 1

I am an engineer that is realistic.  If I calculate miles run by hours on duty I am lucky to average 10 mph sometimes.  Yeah, I might run 40 mph for a while, then sit in a side track for a few hours, then move up to the train ahead of me and look at the rear of it for a while longer.  If a railroad can have a train averaging 25 mph they are really happy.

Answer 2

Andy is correct, of course and as usual.

The first order of business when a crew is going on duty is determining what the Maximum Authorized Speed is for that one train.  "Authorized" is the key word.  Just because you are running on track that can handle a train moving at 70 mph doesn't mean you get to run that fast, automatically.

The variables change with each train, as each train is different and conditions must be taken into account, such as TPOB, for example, for each train.  And, that maximum authorized speed may change during a trip if the train's consist changes during the trip, such as due to picking up or setting out (leaving) cars while en route.  Then the calculations must start anew.

Answer 3

Our freight trains are limited to 70 mph max.They can be slower due to having restricted empty cars or having too high of a TPOB which is tons per operative brake.Our coal trains are limited to 50 mph loaded.Passenger trains where i work are limited to 79 mph.They run faster on the Eastern corridor.

Answer 4

It depends what type of train.

Long-distance passenger trains tend to be the fastest, with e.g. the Eurstar and TGV trains in Europe doing around 200mph. Local, suburban and light rail trains tend to be slower but compensate for that with (usually) a more intensive service, especially at peak commuter times.

Heritage Railways in the UK are restricted to 25mph, however speed is not so important as the distances travelled tend to be short, and most people are travelling on them for leisure, although a few people use them to commute as well.

Freight trains are slower than passenger trains but pull extremely heavy loads and consume less fuel than the equivalent number of road vehicles.

The fastest train in regular service is the magnetic levitation train ('maglev') which is is use in both China and Japan. It has a top speed of around 300mph.

Answer 5

Say a freight train? They can go anywhere between a few miles and hour to 60 Miles per hour. Depending on how heavy the train is loaded how steep a grade its climbing whether its on a main line or a spur line etc, if their is a speed limit on that stretch of tracks, etc.

If you are wondering how long an passenger train trip will take add more details and I can give you an idea.

Answer 6

In the UK Passengers can run up to 125mph

And freight anything up to 65mph, (90mph for mail)

Answer 7

Cole-

Most of the answers below are right on the money, especially Skidderback and Andy F.  Both of those gents are Engineers.  

I belong to a restoration club called Niles Canyon Railway.  We are classifed as a Class 3 Railroad.  We operate an 11 mile strip of track through the Niles Canyon in California.  This section was abandoned in 1984.  Southern Pacific then removed the tracks and deeded the land to Alameda County Parks.  

Southern Pacific was generous enough to leave the old Dresser Bridges intact after they left.  What happened then, was interesting.  Our club replaced the roadbed and the tracks.

Anyhow, my point is our speed limit on this rebuilt section is 25 Miles Per Hour.  This restriction was placed on us by the FRA mainly because we have no operating signals on out route.  Why?  Because there is no other traffic on our rails other than us.  

We do have a connection to Union Pacific Main Line Rail at Hurst but the turnout is locked, and Union Pacific cannot use our rail without our permission.  

However, we have been designated as a "Living Museum" by the Pacific Locomotive Association, and we do bring additional equipment into our yard at Brightside.

In fact, we just had to add three new stub tracks into our yard for equipment from Golden Gate Railroad Museum because they got evicted from their home in Hunter's Point.

Needless to say I do volunteer my time on Saturdays to the restoration department.  One of our current projects is an articulated diner car from the Southern Pacific Daylight Special, (Shasta Daylight Articulated Diner "Cascades").

The club in Portland Oregon who maintains #4449 is pretty excited about this project too.  When its completed, we will have the only restored articulated diner left in the US.

Anyhow, sorry I got off track.  Just get a little excited about this project.

Answer 8

Deppends on how much of a load it is carrying. if it is big it probebly is going 3 miles per hour but if it is light up to 120 miles per hour

Answer 9

It depends on what exactly you mean by 'usually' :-)

Depending on the type of train and/or the railway line regular speeds can vary between a few mph up to 205mph for special high speed trains (e.g. the TGV or AVE trains in France and Spain).

Answer 10

Amtrak(diesel) 79 mph,intermodal(double stacks and trailers) 70 mph,freight 50-55 mph,all depending on conditions.