Britain

Eurostar trains connecting England and France now run at full speed between London and the Channel Tunnel, thanks to a track upgrade completed in 2007. Britain plans to launch high-speed commuter trains on the line, known as High Speed 1, in December 2009. More improvements are coming: Japanese tech conglomerate Hitachi has been chosen as the preferred bidder by Britain’s Transport Department to build a new fleet of “super express” trains for 7.5 billion pounds (roughly $10 billion). The new trains will reach speeds of 200 kph (125 mph) and run on both the Great Western line between London and the western coastal cities of Penzance and Cardiff and the East Coast line, which goes as far north as Edinburgh. Hitachi and its partners are expected to supply 1,400 train cars that will be delivered over 5 years starting in 2013. Some will be equipped with a diesel-electric hybrid system.