Transportation for the year 2050

 

Notes to the text.

1. remote-controlled electronic car- вагон, управляемый дистанционно с помощью ЭВМ;

2. monorail - однорельсовая подвесная железная дорога;

3. helicopter-вертолет;

4. mass-transit system - система массовой перевозки пассажиров;

5. airfoil - воздушно обтекаемые формы;

6. air cushion - воздушная подушка.

 

Express estimate that by the year 2050 we will go by rocket from New-York to Tokyo in 30 minutes. We will be able to reach any other point on the globe from any other point through tunnels in the earth.

The prospects are adventurous and exciting. But most people are more inter­ested in better ways to travel during their own lifetime. It's possible that within the next two or three decades we will be riding in remote-controlled electronic cars.

What about monorails? Half dozen are already operating. Tokyo has one that runs from the suburbs of the city to the airport, but few people use it. But for some reason, no monorail system has ever been able to find a practical place "Flying crane" helicopters soon may help solve the complicated problem of getting passengers from the centre to airport and back again.

A new mass transit system particularly well suited to medium sized towns is being tested now. Lightweight automated vehicles operate singly or in trains on a lightweight aerial roadway. The cars look like buses and run on four pairs of rubber tyres. Service is round-the-clock with trains running ever two min­utes. The system is controlled by a central computer.

Most of the advances in air transportation expected before 2000 will mate­rialize within the next few years, the largest airplane ever designed for com­mercial service, capable of seating nearly 500 passengers, is already being built.

If engineers could eliminate the friction of steel wheels against steel rails, they would have overcome the main reason why planes go faster than trains.

They would also have solved the vibration problems caused by rails and wheels that presently limit a train's speed to about 200 miles per hour. Such trains are already on the drawing boards and experimental models, many with neither wheels nor rails.

The engineers are trying to overcome the friction barrier with rollers and by shaping the train like an airfoil. They are working on suspending trains on a cushion of air and flying them over the ground at high speeds.

Air-cushion vehicles are getting a lot of press these days, and there's little doubt that they will be in your fu­ture. The scheme Tube flight is one in which air-cushion-suppor­ted vehicles will travel inside tubes at our transport speeds.

Speeds of 300 to 400 miles per hour would be practical in the "Tube flight" system on runs of 25 to 250 miles. Intervals between trains would be as low as one minute, and the system could accommodate 10000 to 12000 passengers per hour per tube. Higher speeds, with longer intervals and lower capacities, would be practical over longer runs. The system would be fully automated.

Some ideas of rapid transportation are on the drawing boards, some may never get off. Some are already under way and operation, while others may not take shape until nearly the year 2020. But changes are taking place, and there are more to come.

EXERCISES

I. Выберите утверждения, соответствующие содержанию текста:

1. In the next two or three decades people will uses

a) monorails; b) electric cars; c) remote-controlled electronic cars.

2. Monorails.

a) Half a dozen are already operating;

b) There are no monorails in the world.

П. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How long will it take people to get from New York to Tokyo by the year 2050?

2. During what part ofthe day does the new mass transit system operate?

3. How many passengers will the new planes seat.

4. In what way are engineers trying to overcome the friction barrier?

5. At what speed will air-cushion vehicles be able to travel inside tubes?

6. How long will be the intervals between trains of the "Tube flight" system on distances of up to 250 miles?

 

ТЕХТ4

NEW OPEN PULMAN CARS

Notes to the text:

1.computer design - проект, выданный ЭВМ

2. research – исследование

3. durability - прочность

4. ease of maintenance - простота содержания (ухода)

5. in large part - большей частью

6. a departure- отклонение (отличие)

7. rivet - заклепка

8. longer life - более долгий срок службы

9. transverse - поперечный

10. capacity - вместимость, грузоподъемность

11. to be available - подходить для…

12. longitudinal - продольный

 

The engineers have analyzed hundreds of computer designs. The car is known to be the result of three years of research, the cars were designed for unprecedented durability and ease of maintenance in the transportation of coal and other commo­dities. The design of the car is based in large part on the use of a computer design analysis. The last one was used in the development of the Apollo spacecraft. A departure from previous Pullman welded construction is the riveted side construction.

The rivets will offer longer car life and easier maintenance. The car uses high strength copper bearing steel. The new center are modified by turning the short flanges inward. This permits widening the transverse gates at the center sill. Sides on the gondolas are reinforced by rectangular steel tube diagonal braces. Mill type gondolas will offer three lengths - 42 ft 6 in, 52ft 6 in and 65 ft 6 in, with the latter two having drop ends. Other types will have a basic standard length of 53 ft 1 in. Car height has to determine cubic capacity. Low side gondolas will be available in 70 or 100 ton capacities.

Automatic cars available with longitudinal doors. Theprototype car will be used in coal carrying service. They achieve a reasonable balance between supply and demand of energy as many as 150,000 new coal cars will be required.

EXERCISES

I. Разбейте текст на 2 части и озаглавьте каждую изних.

II. Найдите в тексте предложения, которые отвечают на следующие вопросы:

1.Как был сконструирован новый тип вагона?

2. Какие более современные усовершенствования были использованы в его конструкции?

III. Найдите предложения, которые отражают содержание текста:

1. The new car was the result of three years of research.

2. It has an unprecedented durability and ease of maintenance.

3. But there is a departure from the previous one.

4. The car has been greatly modified..

5. It has greater capacity.

6. It will be required to achieve balance between the supply and demands of energy.

IV. В каком абзаце говорился об оснащенности данного вагона?

V. Ответьте на вопросы по данному тексту:

1. What were the new cars designed for?

2. Where was the last design used?

3. What is the departure from the previous one?

4. Does the car use high strength copper bearing steel? 5

5. By what are the sides on the gondolas reinforced?

7. Where will be prototype car be used?

8. Why will it be required?

 

ТЕХТ 5

SPEED 200-250KM/H

Notes to the text:

at the planning stage - на стадии рассмотрения (в проекте)

to run – вести поезда

mainline - магистраль

equip - оснащать, оборудовать

energy losses - потери энергии

to reduce –уменьшать, сокращать

brake -тормоз

coach- вагон

to fit - оснащать

speed - скорость

to be under construction - строить, находиться в процессе строительства

to shorten - сокращать

to make up - составлять

continuous rails - бесстыковые рельсы

 

While speeds above 160 kph are still at the planning stage Italian State Railways are running several trains dai­ly at 180 kph. It is planned to raise the speed to 200 kph on principle lines and 250 kph on a specially built mainline.

The speeds of 130 kph and 170 kph have become possible after considerable research and after the railways have been equip­ped with automatic block signaling. To restore the energy los­ses the average distance between lineside substations will be reduced from 30-40 km to 18-24 km. About 40 coaches have been equipped experimentally with disc brakes. All high speed moti­ve power units are fitted with rheostatic brakes and all have cab signalling with automatic speed control. A new double-track line has been designed for trains travelling at 250 kph and is under construction between Rome and Florence. There are no intermediate stations and level crossing on this line.

They shorten the route and make it straight as possible, 325 bridges and viaducts will have to be built with a total length of about 30.6 km. Tunnels will make up about 31 per cent of the total route mileage, the longest will be 9.5 km and 10.7 km. The permanent way will be laid on traditional ballast formation. Presstressed concrete sleepers will be used in combination with heavy continuous rails.

EXERCISES

I. Разбейте текст на 2 части и озаглавьте каждую из них.

П. Найдете в тексте предложения, которые отвечают на следующие вопросы:

1. Какую скорость планируют поднять на некоторых магистральных линиях?

2. Благодаря чему это может быть достигнуто?

3. Как оснащается подвижной состав?

III.Найдите предложение, которое отражает содержание текста:

1. Several trains travel at 180 kph.

2. This has become possible after considerable research.

3. Railways have been equipped with automatic block signaling.

4. Coaches have been equipped with disc brakes.

5. The permanent, way will be laid on a traditional ballast formation.

6. Now a new railway is under construction.

7. Presstressed concrete sleepers and continuous rails will be used.

IV. В каком абзаце говорится об оснащенности новой дороги?

V. Ответьте на вопросы по данному тексту:

1. What speed is still at the planning stage?

2. Where is it possible to raise speed up to 250 kph?

3. What have all coaches been equipped with?

4. What has been designed for trains, travelling at 250 kph?

5. Where is a new line under construction?

6. What for will bridges and viaducts be built?

7. How much per cent will tunnels make up?

8. How will the permanent way be laid?

9. What sleepers and rails will be used there?

 

TEXT 6

THE MOSCOW-LAKE BAIKAL

Notes to the text:

terminal -конечная станция

trunk line - магистраль

to be initiated - быть начатым

as early as - вначале

to carry out – выполнять

volume - объем

reinforced concrete - предварительно-напряженный бетон

tо handle - перевозить

traffic density – грузонапряженность (перевозок)

heavy - напряженный, интенсивный

м

two unit locs - 2-х секционные локомотивы

 

The Moscow Lake Baikal Railway about 5, 500 km long stretches from Moscow to the Siberian city Irkutsk and the Sludianka terminal. It is known to be the longest electrified trunk line. The electrification of some sections of the line was initiated as early as 1944 but major work was carried out during 1956-60. A great volume of construction work has been involved in line's electrification. More than 210,000supports mostly of reinforced concrete for the overhead system, have been erected. There has been a considerable improvement in the track structure. Heavy-type rails have been laid on broken stone ballast throughout. This railway handles a major portion of the total railway freight traffic, its traffic-density being extremely high. Passenger traffic on this line is also heavy and has almost doubled during the last year: As to the locomotive fleet it includes the VL-23, VL-80 and VL-10 electric locomotive operating on d.c. sections. The VL-80 are of later design. They are eight axle two-unit locomotives. The capacity of the eight traction motors they are fitted with is over 68,000 kw. The VL-80 electric locomotives are considered to be among the most powerful locomotives in the world.

EXERCISES

I. Разбейте текст на 2 части и озаглавьте каждую из них.

II. Найдите в тексте предложения, которые отвечают на следующие вопросы:

а) Когда и где строилась эта дорога?

б) Расскажите о технической оснащенности этой дороги.

Ш. Найдите предложение, которое отражает содержание текста;

1. The Moscow-Lake Baikal Railway is the longest electrified trunk-line.

2. It is a modern, well-equipped line.

3. It carries a lot of traffic.

4. The electric locomotives are the most powerful in the world.

IV. В каком абзаце текста говорится об оснащенности данной до роги?

V. Ответьте на вопросы по данному тексту:

1. From where does this line stretches?

2. When was the electrification of some sections initiated?

3. What has been erected?

4. What type of rails have been laid?

5. Is its traffic density extremely high?

6. What does the locomotive fleet include?,

7. Are they the most powerful locomotives in the world

 

TEXT 7