Taiwan's first high-speed rail link begins test run

Taiwan began the test run of its first high-speed rail link Thursday, readying it for a scheduled inauguration in October. The train, the latest of Japan's Shinkansen series, or bullet train, will gradually lift its top speed to 186 miles per hour over the months ahead, reported the Associated Press. The test run marks the export of the bullet train for the first time in history. Taiwan's 215-mile rail line links the capital Taipei with southern city Kaohsiung. With the new service, journey times between the two cities have been cut from about four hours to an hour and a half. The $16 billion project is expected to carry one million passengers a year.