high-speed

comparative higher-speed · superlative highest-speed · alternative high speed

1. That operates, moves or takes place at a greater than normal speed.

   Dead-man's handle, automatic train stop, quick-acting compressed-air brake specially suited for high-speed working, and regenerative braking are among the features of the new locomotives.

   1947 March and April, “Swiss High-Speed Electric Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 94

   3 more examples

   Less important lines of plain double track carrying a mixture of passenger and freight traffic cannot be given ultra-fast expresses, and where alternative routes exist, as for example between London and the West Riding, the specially high-speed trains must be restricted to one of them only.

   1960 February, “Talking of Trains”, in Trains Illustrated, page 67

   A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails.[…]This set-up solves several problems […]. Stopping high-speed trains wastes energy and time, so why not simply slow them down enough for a moving platform to pull alongside?

   2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly)

   In retrospect, it was small wonder that Railtrack found its finances under pressure, as with ever increasing demand there was an inevitable effect on infrastructure renewals. Matters came to a head with the Hatfield accident on October 17 2000, when there was a high-speed derailment as a result of deferred track maintenance.

   2024 January 10, 'Industry Insider', “Success built on liberalisation and market freedom”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 69

   Antonyms: low-speed