BBC Focus Magazine

[KingPhillip]

A recent film, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Part One, portrayed a near-future scene of the protagonists in the control cabin of a bullet train accelerating to 175 mph without exhibiting any effect of the acceleration.

A search of bullet trains show photos of cabin interiors without any shoulder or lap restraints, even seatings for handicapped occupants lack restraints.

Anyone had the pleasure (or nightmare) of riding on these bullet trains?

Perhaps the acceleration and deceleration is computer-programmed to minimise their effects, in lieu of inertial dampeners?

[Shadowwolf]

In Trek it's a low-level forcefield similar to the Structural Integrity Field distributed throughout the vessel via the grav-plate system where the field is distorted in a directly opposite vector to the direction of acceleration. Though there is a lag from acceleration to counter the force and this is especially noticeable on unexpected movements.

Atlas either does not explain the underlying system, has some similar techno-babble explanation or the acceleration is sufficiently slow enough to not effect those on-board. I doubt the latter as you'd probably not be asking if that was the case.

[M Paul Lloyd]

I'm assuming this refers to the Japanese 'Bullet' train system? If so the reason that the occupants exhibit no apparent 'inertia' is due o the fact that the Japanese invested in a very carefully planned and executed railroad system upon which to run its trains, so that the tracks lack any kinks or undulations and all turns are so gradual and banked as to be un-noticed by the occupants. Its a case of building from the ground up. Unlike he British rail network which, despite the efforts of one Isambard kingdom Brunel, ended up being too narrow, too twisted and way to bumpy to ever achieve high speed rail links.

[KingPhillip]

The InterCity125 didn't quite live up to its promises, I reckon.

I had a plan to ride the Acela Express.

The new plan may come to fruition (50/50).