3. Watch and check your answers.

4. Watch the video again and choose the features the speaker talks about.

a) the service, b) the stations, c) the speed, d) the food, e) the length of the train, f) the number of the trains per day, g) the number of passengers, h) the comfort, i) the journey time

5. What do you think are the advantages of travelling by Eurostar rather than by plane?

Writing (200-250 words)

Write an essay (200-250 words)

What makes modern carriages safe, comfortable and convenient vehicles?

WebProject

Work in small groups. Get information to make a short presentation to your class about

1. Early railroad cars.

2. Improvements in cars.

3. Modern cars.

4. The history of car building in the USA.

5. The history of carriage and wagon building in the UK.

6. The history of railroad car building in Russia.

7. The construction of passenger and freight cars in Russia today.

Language spot

Participle Review

Exercise.

A moving train, an approaching train, an incoming train, an outgoing train, goods requiring protection from the weather, reclining seats, passing train, goods transported by rail, wagons designed to carry coal, wagons used to transport liquids.

Exercise образуйте причасти.

1 Freight-car movement and utilization, like everything in railroading, is an ordered and defined system consisting of rules, standard terms, and definitions.

2 Resembling boxcars in outward appearance, refrigerator cars are used to transport commodities that require refrigeration or heating.

3 The mechanical refrigerator car is self-sufficient and independent, providing its own electrically operated refrigeration and air circulation system, and generating its own electric power.

4 A variation of a hopper car is the covered hopper for transporting bulk flour, sugar, cement, and other commodities requiring protection from weather.

5 The ordinary flatcar is without sides or ends, having only a floor. It is used to transport vehicles, machinery, and various other commodities suited to open movement.

6 Many cabooses are of all-steel construction, electrically lighted, oil heated, and equipped with two-way radio communication.

7 Over the years, all railroad freight cars became larger and stronger moving from wood to all-steel construction and able to haul heavier and heavier loads.

8 Tables may be present between seats facing one another. 9 Commuter trains have coaches designed to carry as many people as possible.

Supplementary reading

1. Read the first text and answer the questions.

1. Why is renewal of Amtrak’s fleet urgent?

2. What vehicles does Amtrak plan to buy?

2. Read the last paragraph of text 1 and text 2 and answer the questions.

1. Why has Amtrak abandoned its plans in terms of Acela Express services?

2. What does a phrase ‘a stop-gap measure’ mean?

3. What are the advantages of the new plan?

1. Amtrak plans fleet renewal programme

18 February 2010

USA: National passenger operator Amtrak published its long-term fleet renewal strategy on February 15, envisaging total expenditure of around US$23bn over the next 30 years.

With the average vehicle age now exceeding 25 years, Amtrak President Joseph Boardman says ‘the need to commence recapitalization of the fleet is urgent.' As well as posing ‘a steadily increasing burden’ on its maintenance teams, which must cope obsolescence and a lack of spare parts which impact on reliability, the ageing fleet also has ‘consequences for ridership and revenue’.

Amtrak is looking to buy 780 single-deck and 420 double-deck coaches in the next 14 years, along with 70 electric and 264 diesel locos, plus 25 high speed trainsets, bringing the total value to around US$11bn. A similar volume of orders would be needed in years 15 to 30, before a steady-state renewals strategy can take effect.

Projecting strong growth in demand for Acela Express services, Amtrak is planning to lengthen its existing 20 trainsets and create two extra sets as a short term measure, pending the development of a second-generation high speed train for introduction in around 10 years’ time.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/amtrak-plans-fleet-renewal-programme.html