In January 1989,the Community of European Railways presented their proposal for a high speed pan-European train network extending from Sweden to Sicily,and from Portugal to Poland by the year 2020.(1)_______________________.Journeys between major cities will take half the time they take today.Brussels will be only one and a half hours from Paris.The quickest way to get from Paris to Frankfurt,from Barcelona to Madrid will be by train, not plane.When the network is complete,it will integrate three types of railway line:totally new high speed lines with trains operating at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour,upgraded lines which allow for speeds up to 200 to 225 kilometers per hour,and existing lines for local connections and distribution of freight.(2)_______________________.They won’t go by plane any more.If you calculate flight time,check-in and travel to-and-from the airport,you’ll find almost no difference.And if your plane arrives late due to bad weather or air traffic jams or strikes,then the train passengers will arrive at their destination first.Since France introduced the first 260-kilometer-per-hour high speed train service between Paris and Lyons in 1981,the trains have achieved higher and higher speeds.(3)_______________________.If people accept the Community of European Railways’plan,the 21 century will be the new age of the train.
