The invention of the railroad in Germany in the seventeenth century revolutionized transportation. The first railroad used wooden tracks. It was not until the early 1800s that the first steel rails appeared in USA.
With the age of the train the mass movement of people began. Thomas Cook is quoted as saying that his planned tours added much to the advancement of human progress. The railway is the most convenient and the most popular mode of travel all over the world.
The railways may be considered as the most powerful means for mass travel in the nineteenth and twentieth century’s. Trains are perceived to be safe and inexpensive. They may also provide view to attractive scenery like the toy train between Siliguri and Darjeeling.
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In India, a railway provides the principal mode of transportation for freight and passengers. It brings together people from the farthest corners of the country and makes possible the conduct of business, sightseeing, pilgrimage and education.
High speed trains are running in different parts of the world. In 1981, France started operation of its train which runs at a speed of 380 kilometres per hour, even faster than the Japanese Bullet Train which runs at a speed of 225 kilometres per hour. The day is not far off when aero trains will be introduced which will run at a speed of 480 to 500 kilometres per hour.
The railways systems of six European nations have been integrated to make rail travel convenient for the people of Europe. One can buy a Eurail pass for a specially discounted travel bargain for a week.
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Indian Railways have introduced Indrail passes on the lines of Eurail pass. The pass has to be bought in foreign currency and only foreigners and non-resident Indians can buy it.
The Indrail pass permits unlimited travel, so long as the pass remains valid. To attract foreign tourists, Indian Railways have introduced a new train called the Palace on Wheels.
Although in the USA, trains are considered a second rate means of passenger transportation, in Western Europe and in India, trains hold a valuable market share of passenger traffic.