About Japanese high speed trains, from Mr. Terashima

One of the most original thinkers in Japan is Jitsuro Terashima. Here is something he wants to point out about Japanese engineering.

Remember the Magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11? At the moment it struck, there were 88 high speed trains running on the "bullet train" network, many of them in the Tohoku area. These are trains that fly along the ground at speeds close to 300 km/hr. At the very moment the earth trembled and cracked, there they were, 88 of them, wheels to the rails, and...

Not a single one derailed. Not a single person was injured. The trains simply did what they were programmed to do and stopped. Safely.

How cool is that?