Special text: unusual railways special text: underground railways

NOTE
1. the stage-coaches—почтовые кареты (дилижансы)
2. flanged wheels —колеса с гребнем (круговым выступом, удер­живающим колесо на рельсе)
3. sides ar.d ends—боковые и торцевые стенки вагона
4. the box car — крытый грузовой вагон
5. the gondola car—полувагон
6. the hopper car—вагон-хоппер (с разгрузочными люками в полу)
7. a double-deck car—двухъярусный вагон
8. four-wheel trucks —двухосные тележки вагона


ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

1	carriage ['kæridз] п	пассажирский вагон;	Yo’lovchi vagoni
2	wagon ['wægən] n	грузовой вагон	Yuk vagoni
3	top [tכp] п	верх, верхняя часть	Teppa qismi, usti
4	bottom ['bכtəm] n	низ, нижняя часть; дно	Tub qismi, tubi
5	pull [pul] v	тянуть, тащить	Tortmoq
6	cover ['kΛvə] v	покрывать, закрывать	Yopmoq, qoplamoq
7	protect [prə'tekt] v	защищать,предохранять	Himoyalamoq
8	general ['dзenərəl] а	общий; обычный; главный	Umumiy
9	gener­ally adv	обычно; главным образом	Umuman
10	roof [ru:f] п	Крыша	Tom
11	floor [flכ:] n	Пол	Pol
12	tank [tænk] n	бак, цистерна	Bak,sisterna
13	liquid ['likwid] n	жидкость	Suyuqlik
14	through [0ru:] prep	сквозь, через; с помощью	Orqali
15	empty ['empti] а	пустой, порожний; v разгружать	Bo’sh , bo’shatmoq
16	convey [kən'vei] v	перевозить, перемещать	Tashimoq, olib o’tmoq
17	durable ['djuərəbl] а	прочный, долговечный	Chidamli
18	breakage ['breikidз] n	поломка, авария	Buzilish
19	sure [fu:ə] а	несомненный; уверенный	Ishonchli
20	compartment [kəm'patmənt] n	купе; отделение	Kupe
21	seat [sit] n	сиденье, место; v вмещать	O’rindiq
22	either['аiðə] а	каждый, любой	Har qaysi
23	light [lait] n	свет; v освещать;	Yorug’lik
24	heat [hi:t] n	тепло, теплота; v нагревать	Issiqlik
25	look like ['luk 'laik] v	походить (на)	O’xshamoq
26	body ['bכdi] n	кузов, корпус; тело	Tana,korpus
27	familiar [fə'miliər] а	знакомый, известный	Tanish, mashhur
28	mount [maunt] v	монтировать, устанавливать	O’rnatmoq
29	arrange [ə'rindз] v	располагать, размещать	Joylashtirmoq
30	arrange­ment n	размещение; устройство	Jihoz,joylash
31	resist [n'zist] v	сопротивляться, противодействовать	Qarshilik qilmoq
32	performance [pə'fo:məns] n	работа (машины); КПД, производительность; эксплуатационные качества	Ishlab chiqaruvchi belgi, ekspluatatsiya sifati
33	seem [si:m] v	казаться;	O’xshamoq
34	likely ['laikli adv	вероятно; а вероятный	Ehtimol
35	involve [m'vכlv] v	требовать, влечь за собой	O’z ichiga olmoq,

LESSON 10. THEME: IN SEARCH OF HIGHER SPEEDS
I
(1) The advance of transportation took a long time and scores of talented engineers did all in their power to de­velop the transportation system people have now at their disposal. But man never stops at what he has reached, and what seems fantastic today turns out to be quite realizable tomorrow.
(2) Speed has always been a highly desirable goal for the engineers in their attempts to perfect the existing means of rail transport. This problem is of particular significance when it comes to developing a passenger transportation system. Railway history knows many examples when test runs of modified or newly designed trains resulted in speed rec­ords. They prove that the possibilities of high speeds have not yet been exhausted.
(3) Were it possible to design a train running at the speeds of the aircraft, railways could successfully compete with aviation. At the same time, it is desirable that the new train should run over the existing tracks without re­quiring costly reconstruction or frequent renewals of the permanent way.
(4) In this respect, the Soviet-made ER-200 train now operating on a commercial basis is worth mentioning. This train meets the requirements of high speeds, safety and passenger comfort. A lot of preparatory work had to be done on the Oktyabrskaya Railway before the ER-200 was put into service. Running on some sections at 200 kph, the train covers a distance of 650 km between Moscow and Leningrad in 4 hours 39 minutes thus cutting the journey time by 4 hours compared with the previous schedules.
(5) Many latest achievements of railway technology have been incorporated in the new Soviet express train. The stream-lined shape of the whole train cuts down air friction and allows higher speeds to be attained. The driving com­partment being equipped with cab signalling, the driver has, at all times, signals displayed before him. The job of the locomotive driver has been greatly facilitated. Pushing a controller¹ is all he must do to start or brake down the train.
(6) The coaches the ER-200 is composed of are extreme­ly comfortable, being supplied with air-conditioning, sound-proof windows and soft aircraft-like seats. The pas­sengers who happen to travel by the new Soviet express have snack-bars at their disposal. Their journey is accom­panied by background music.
(7) Another high-speed train of interest is the British Advanced Passenger Train (APT). The remarkable feature of this 200 kph train is its ability to go round curves safe­ly at speeds 40 per cent faster than those now acceptable for conventional trains and do it without causing discom­fort to passengers. This ability was due to a special sus­pension of the train body. Another key feature of the APT was its ability to stop from 200 kph within a considerably shorter distance than that allowed for 160 kph trains. Be­sides, lightweight alloys were to help it travel faster and save a considerable amount of energy needed for its pro­pulsion. However, numerous technical innovations incorpo­rated in its design involved so many problems and risk that the British Railways authorities found it cheaper to take this train out of service,
II
(8) One more proposition for new nigh-speed ground, transport is contactless systems which show great promise fast regards speeds. These systems may be divided into two
principal types: the air-cushion system and the magnetic suspension system. Both, of, them have one feature in com­mon: there is a thin film of air between the vehicle and the track which can be provided either by turbo-jet engines or by powerful magnets.
(9) Serious investigations in these systems are being carried on in France, Britain, Japan, the USSR, the USA and Canada. But it is France that has succeeded in creat­ing the world's first practical version of a train riding on an air cushion. The train being now operated commercially has already reached 186 mph. Successful as it is, the air-cushion train is unlikely to be 'acceptable in densely-pop­ulated areas because of noise and air pollution.
(10) It is magnetically-suspended vehicles that seem to be more advantageous. These vehicles are suspended above the track by electromagnetic attraction or repulsion and propelled by electric motors of special design. There being no metal friction, very little power would be required for propulsion. Being silent in operation, the magnetically-sus­pended vehicles would be suitable for suburban and city areas. Besides, they are pollution-free and thus have not undesirable effects on the environment.
(11) It should be mentioned, however, that one of the main obstacles on the way to introducing contactless trans­port is that it needs a specially designed concrete track.
(12) In this respect, the so-called Corridor system re­cently designed in the USA is more advantageous for high- speed intercity passenger service. So-called Corridor system is intended' for carrying several thousands of passengers in an hour between Boston and Washington and is based on a few simple calculations: (1) The maximum speed along the Cor­ridor must be something about 400 mph. To attain this speed the train should be protected from ice and from the objects which might fall on its path. That's why the train should travel in a tube. (2) To eliminate air friction, most of the air should be pumped out of the tube. For heavy continuous traffic a pair of tubes would, be needed. (3) The air at atmospheric pressure should be admitted behind the train to accelerate it; a similar effect could-decelerate the train to a stop. (4) Each train would .he half a mile long and would run on conventional steel wheels.
(13) Although very costly, the Corridor system is likely to offer a number of economic benefits in addition to nu­merous conveniences to travellers.