Trains火車與高鐵
台灣高鐵最高營運時速 300 公里，從台北到左營只要一個半小時——比開車快一倍以上。
CEFR A2閱讀約 5 分鐘 · 12 個單字 · 測驗卷 100 分
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The Railway鐵道
12 個可以點的單字 · 可以隨時暫停、轉動場景
逐字稿（14 段）
- 1Welcome to the railway. Taiwan has two railways: the old line around the island, and the high-speed line.歡迎來到鐵道。台灣有兩套鐵路：環島的台鐵，和高速的高鐵。
- 2This is a steel rail. A train's steel wheels roll along on it.這是鋼軌。火車的鋼輪就在上面滾動。
- 3A steel wheel on a steel rail has very little friction. That is the whole secret of the train.鋼輪壓在鋼軌上，摩擦力非常小。這就是火車的全部祕密。
- 4This is a freight train. It carries goods, not people.這是一列貨運列車。它載的是貨物，不是人。
- 5With so little friction, one engine can pull an enormous load. A freight train can move thousands of tonnes.因為摩擦力很小，一具機車頭就能拉動巨大的載重。一列貨運列車可以載運好幾千公噸。
- 6These passengers take the high-speed train. Taipei to Kaohsiung takes only about one and a half hours.這些乘客要搭高鐵。從台北到高雄只要大約一個半小時。
- 7But low friction is also a problem. A high-speed train may need several kilometres to come to a halt.但低摩擦也帶來問題。一列高速列車可能要好幾公里才能完全停下來。
- 8So railways use signals. Green means the next block is clear. Yellow means be ready to stop.所以鐵路靠號誌。綠燈表示下一個區間淨空，黃燈表示準備停車。
- 9Red means the block ahead is occupied. Only one train may be in a block at a time.紅燈表示前方區間有車佔用。同一時間，一個區間只准有一列車。
- 10If a driver passes a red signal or goes too fast, the system brakes the train itself.如果駕駛闖過紅燈或開太快，系統會自己替列車煞車。
- 11Gauge is the distance between the two rails. The old line uses 1,067 millimetres. The high-speed line uses 1,435.軌距是兩條鋼軌之間的距離。台鐵用 1,067 公釐，高鐵用 1,435 公釐。
- 12High-speed trains need gentle curves, so they run on their own line at 300 kilometres per hour.高速列車需要平緩的彎道，所以走自己的專用路線，時速可達 300 公里。
- 13Steel expands when it is hot. That is why rails are laid with small gaps.鋼受熱會膨脹。這就是為什麼鋼軌鋪設時要留小縫隙。
- 14Now it's your turn. Turn the railway around and click on anything you see.現在換你了。轉動鐵道，點點看你看到的每一樣東西。
Why Rails Beat Roads軌道為什麼贏過馬路
A steel wheel on a steel rail has very little friction. That is the whole secret of the train.鋼輪壓在鋼軌上，摩擦力非常小。這就是火車的全部祕密。
Because there is so little friction, one engine can pull an enormous load. A freight train can move thousands of tonnes with far less energy per tonne than lorries would need.因為摩擦力很小，一具機車頭就能拉動巨大的載重。一列貨運列車可以載運數千公噸，而每公噸消耗的能量遠低於卡車。
The same low friction is also the problem: trains cannot stop quickly. A high-speed train may need several kilometres to come to a halt.同樣的低摩擦也帶來問題：火車煞不住。一列高速列車可能需要好幾公里才能完全停下來。
That is why railways run on signals and timetables rather than on drivers watching the road ahead.這就是為什麼鐵路靠號誌和時刻表運作，而不是靠駕駛看著前方路況。
How a Railway Stays Safe鐵路怎麼維持安全
- Block signalling閉塞號誌
- The track is divided into sections called blocks. Only one train may be in a block at a time, so trains can never catch up with each other.軌道被切成一段一段的「閉塞區間」。同一時間一個區間只准有一列車，所以列車不可能追撞。
- Signals are about the block ahead號誌講的是前方區間
- Green means the next block is clear. Yellow means be ready to stop. Red means the block ahead is occupied.綠燈表示下一個區間淨空。黃燈表示準備停車。紅燈表示前方區間有車。
- Automatic braking自動煞車
- If a driver passes a red signal or goes too fast, the system brakes the train itself. Humans are not the last line of defence.如果駕駛闖過紅號誌或超速，系統會自己煞車。人不是最後一道防線。
- Gauge軌距
- Gauge is the distance between the two rails. Taiwan's conventional railway uses 1,067 mm, while the high speed line uses the international 1,435 mm — so their trains cannot run on each other's tracks.軌距是兩條鋼軌之間的距離。台鐵用 1,067 公釐，高鐵用國際標準的 1,435 公釐——所以兩邊的車無法開上對方的路線。
- Dedicated track for speed高速要有專用路線
- High-speed trains need gentle curves and no level crossings, so they run on their own line rather than sharing with slow trains.高速列車需要平緩的彎道、不能有平交道，所以它們走自己的專用路線，不跟慢車共用。
Taiwan's Two Railways台灣的兩套鐵路
| Item 項目 | TRA 台鐵 | THSR 高鐵 |
|---|---|---|
| Opened 開通 | 1891 (first line 首條路線) | 2007 |
| Gauge 軌距 | 1,067 mm 公釐 | 1,435 mm 公釐 |
| Top service speed 最高營運時速 | About 130 km/h 約 130 公里 | 300 km/h 公里 |
| Taipei to Kaohsiung 台北到高雄 | About 4 – 5 hours 約 4 至 5 小時 | About 1.5 hours 約 1.5 小時 |
| Route 路線 | Around the whole island 環島 | West coast only 僅西部 |
資料查證至 2025 年底
高鐵只跑西部，因為東部有中央山脈；環島這件事還是台鐵在做。兩者不是取代關係，是分工。
Did You Know?你知道嗎？
- Taiwan's high-speed trains are based on the Japanese Shinkansen, which has carried billions of passengers without a single fatal accident on board.台灣高鐵的列車以日本新幹線為基礎，新幹線載運了數十億人次，車上從未發生致命事故。
- The Alishan Forest Railway climbs from near sea level to over 2,000 metres, using switchbacks where the train reverses direction to get up the slope.阿里山林業鐵路從接近海平面爬升到 2,000 公尺以上，途中用「之字形」路段——列車倒著開來爬坡。
- Rails are laid with small gaps or welded under tension, because steel expands when it is hot.鋼軌鋪設時會留小縫隙，或在張力下焊接，因為鋼受熱會膨脹。
- Moving one tonne of freight by rail typically uses only a fraction of the energy that moving it by road would.用鐵路運送一公噸貨物所耗的能量，通常只是公路運輸的一小部分。
Key Words單字表
rail/reɪl/n.
鋼軌
A steel wheel runs on a steel rail.鋼輪在鋼軌上運行。
friction/ˈfrɪk.ʃən/n.
摩擦力
There is very little friction.摩擦力非常小。
freight/freɪt/n.
貨運
A freight train carries goods.貨運列車載運貨物。
load/loʊd/n.
載重
One engine pulls a huge load.一具機車頭拉動巨大的載重。
signal/ˈsɪɡ.nəl/n.
號誌
A red signal means stop.紅號誌表示停車。
occupied/ˈɑː.kjə.paɪd/adj.
被佔用的
The block ahead is occupied.前方區間有車佔用。
brake/breɪk/v. / n.
煞車
The system brakes the train.系統會替列車煞車。
gauge/ɡeɪdʒ/n.
軌距
The two lines use different gauges.兩條路線的軌距不同。
curve/kɝːv/n.
彎道
High-speed lines need gentle curves.高速路線需要平緩的彎道。
halt/hɑːlt/n. / v.
停止
It needs kilometres to come to a halt.它需要好幾公里才能停下來。
expand/ɪkˈspænd/v.
膨脹
Steel expands when it is hot.鋼受熱會膨脹。
passenger/ˈpæs.ən.dʒɚ/n.
乘客
It has carried billions of passengers.它載運了數十億人次乘客。
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