World's Fastest Train

Train has been an important means of transportation of people everyday all over the world. Nowadays, trains are no longer just a mode of transportation that will bring people from one place to the next. Modern trains are built to adapt to the ever increasing need of the people for speed. The faster the train is the better. High speed trains allow people to travel large distances by rail quickly and it’s not just fast, modern trains are built for comfort too. Below are the top 5 fastest train in the world.

Transrapid (TR-09)
 It is a maglev high speed train that is used to transport both passenger services and goods. It is a magnetically levitating train that works on a linear motor principle. The current design speed of the Transrapid is between 500 and 550 km/h. It has far better acceleration than conventional high-speed rail systems and is able to accelerate from a standing start to 200 km/h within 60 seconds.

CRH380A
 It is a Chinese electric high-speed train that was manufactured by CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock Co. It is operating at a cruise speed of 350 kilometers per hour and a maximum of 380 kilometers per hour in commercial service. During a trial run, the original 8-car train-set recorded a top speed of 416.6 km/h while the longer 16-car train-set temporarily held the world’s record for the fastest production train at 486.1 km/h.


KTX – II
 It is a South Korean high-speed train built by Hyundai Rotem in the second half of 2000s. With a top speed of 305 kilometers per hour, the KTX – II is the first commercial high-speed train developed in South Korea.
Shinkansen It is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group Companies. It is also known as the “Bullet Train”. Its top speed reached 300 kilometers per hour and is powered by 25,000 V AC electrification systems.

Shinkansen
 It is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group Companies. It is also known as the “Bullet Train”. Its top speed reached 300 kilometers per hour and is powered by 25,000 V AC electrification systems.

TGV Reseau  The TGV Reseau trains have a top speed of 300 km/h and were built by Alstom between 1992 and 1996. It is a French train that can carry up to 377 passengers.

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Malaysians are avid travellers

A recent survey conducted by MasterCard revealed some Malaysians’ preferences and habits when it comes to travelling.
 MALAYSIANS have an insatiable thirst for travelling and strong statistics proved just that. According to the MasterCard Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey which was released recently, leisure travel remains a steady sector in the local market. This is evident through the thriving travel behaviour showcased by fellow Malaysians.
More than nine in 10 of the participants surveyed were found to have undertaken domestic travel while two-thirds opted for an international holiday destination in the past year. “This is an exciting time for travel in Malaysia with consumers showing keen interest and looking to spend leisure time both domestically and internationally,” said Safdar Khan, MasterCard Worldwide’s country head for Malaysia and Brunei. The outlook for future travels among Malaysians shows a positive trend. Nearly half of those surveyed expressed great interest to travel more, with 47% intending to travel more to international destinations while 50% wish to do so within domestic destinations.
 The findings here will no doubt lead to a positive economic growth for the country, which marks Visit Malaysia Year 2014. “On a local level, this will enhance interest in tourism offerings and help boost tourism spend, ultimately contributing to the country’s economic vitality,” Safdar said. “With the increased demand, the travel sector is set for further dynamic growth and to be a key focus area,” he added. Among the top three local destinations that Malaysians plan to visit in the next three months are Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, followed by Malacca and George Town, Penang. The capital state of Sabah is a growing resort destination thanks to its close proximity to lush rainforests as well as enchanting tropical islands. And for the more adventurous at heart, Mount Kinabalu – the highest peak in the Malay Archipelago – is a hiking heaven thanks to its rich flora and fauna.
 As for Malacca and Penang, both states have exuberant cultural and historical trails that are perfect for family getaways. They’re also well-known as a local food mecca. On the other hand, regional destinations are popular among Malaysian overseas travellers, with the top three choices being Singapore, followed by Australia and Japan. Apart from that, the survey also revealed some pretty interesting highlights about Malaysian travel preferences and habits. For instance, online platforms come first when sourcing for the best travel deals. A majority of Malaysians prefer to look up for information on airline websites first. Next are online travel guides and travel agents.
 Malaysians can’t get enough of shopping and they’re even doing it at airports. Over nine in 10 of those surveyed indulge in the activity in between travel, splurging on edible items, books, magazines, cosmetics and fragrances. When it comes to travelling expenditure, though, transport and accommodation take up the biggest chunk of Malaysians’ holiday budget. For overseas travel, in particular, the preferred mode of payment is via credit card.
 In terms of transportation, budget carriers are the preferred choice. And when Malaysians get to their holiday destination, rest and relaxation as well as shopping rank as the most popular activities. The MasterCard Consumer Purchasing Priorities survey is released twice a year and provides valuable insights into consumer outlook on spending priorities in the categories of travel, dining and entertainment, education, money management and luxury shopping.

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Shanghai "roasts" the giant Rubber Duck

SHANGHAI has served up a “roasted” version of a Dutch artist’s giant yellow duck, complete with drumsticks and crispy brown skin. Florentijn Hofman’s Rubber Duck installation gained rave reviews when a 16.5 metre-tall version arrived in Hong Kong this summer. Hundreds of thousands of people viewed it against the backdrop of the skyscrapers that line the city’s Victoria Harbour.
 Not to be outdone, Shanghai – which is vying with Hong Kong to be China’s financial capital – has unveiled its own version on the Huangpu River, which forms its waterfront Bund district. ”The design process took place during Shanghai’s scorching hot summer days, so we just thought: ‘Let’s roast it’,” designer Han Beishi told AFP. ”Other inspiration came from an ancient Chinese poem: ‘The duck knows first when the river becomes warm in spring’,” he added.
 Shanghai’s duck is actually a working ferry boat which reportedly will carry passengers and host cultural performances including poetry reading. The duck’s head, at the bow, is yellow, but reversed and looking back towards its body which is made of papier mache, with jutting drumsticks and cooked wings. Several Chinese cities rushed to display versions of Hofman’s Rubber Duck – which has been making appearances around the world since 2007 – leading the official People’s Daily newspaper to criticise the flock of copycats.
 But the Huangpu river has made more headlines this year for a pollution scandal which saw more than 10,000 dead pigs drift down it in March, discarded by farmers upstream. Han said he floated the idea of making a pig but city fathers were not amused.

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Incredible India! A 2,000-year-old functional dam

It is not an everyday phenomenon that ones comes across engineering marvels dating back to ages. Fortunately for those in India, there is such a marvel which is still functional and is called Grand Anicut Dam.

The Grand Anicut Dam or Kallanai Dam was built on the Cauvery river by King Karikalan of Chola dynasty in the first century. The dam has been built with uneven stones and is 329 m long and 20 m wide. It was constructed with the idea to divert water across the delta region for irrigation.
 The area irrigated by the dam when it was built was 69,000 acres. Early in 20th century, the irrigated area has gone up to a million acres.

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