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In rail transport, a train consists of rail vehicles
that move along guides to transport freight or passengers from one place
to another. The guide way (permanent way) usually consists of conventional
rail tracks, but might also be monorail or maglev. Propulsion for the
train is provided by a separate locomotive, or from individual motors in
self-propelled multiple units. Most trains are powered by diesel engines
or by electricity supplied by trackside systems. Historically the steam
engine was the dominant form of locomotive power through the mid-20th
century, but other sources of power (such as horses, rope (or wire),
gravity, pneumatics, or gas turbines) are possible. |
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Special kinds of trains running on corresponding
special 'railways' are atmospheric railways, monorails, high-speed
railways, Dinky Trains, maglev, rubber-tired underground, funicular and
cog railways.
A passenger train may consist of one or several locomotives, and one or
more coaches. Alternatively, a train may consist entirely of passenger
carrying coaches, some or all of which are powered as a "multiple unit".
In many parts of the world, particularly Japan and Europe, high-speed rail
is utilized extensively for passenger travel.
Freight trains comprise wagons or trucks rather than carriages, though
some parcel and mail trains (especially Traveling Post Offices) are
outwardly more like passenger trains.
Trains can also be mixed, hauling both passengers and freight, see e.g.
Transportation in Mauritania. Such mixed trains became rare in many
countries, but were commonplace on the first 19th-century railroads.
Special trains are also used for Track Maintenance; in some places, this
is called maintenance of way.
A single uncoupled rail vehicle is not technically a train, but is usually
referred to as such for signaling reasons.
Passenger trains have Passenger cars. Passenger trains travel between
stations; the distance between stations may vary from under 1 mile to much
more. Long-distance trains, sometimes crossing several countries, may have
a dining car or restaurant car; they may also have sleeping cars, but not
in the case of high-speed rail; these arrive at their destination before
the night falls and are in competition with airplanes in speed. Very long
distance trains such as those on the Trans-Siberian railway are usually
not high-speed. |