高职高专实用英语Unit 4课文+译文

Unit 4
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.
Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate locomotive. Most modern trains are powered by diesel locomotives, although historically (from the early 19th century to the mid-20th century) the steam locomotive was the dominant form of locomotive power.
There are various types of train designed for particular purposes. A train can consist of one or more locomotives and attached railroad cars.
A passenger train may consist of one or several locomotives, and one or more coaches. Passenger trains travel between stations, at which passengers may board and disembark. In most cases, passenger trains operate on a fixed schedule and have superior track occupancy rights over freight trains.
Oversight of a passenger train is the responsibility of the conductor. He or she is usually assisted by other crew members, such as service attendants or porters. During the heyday of North American passenger rail travel, long distance trains carried two conductors: the aforementioned train conductor, and a Pullman conductor, the latter being in charge of sleeping car personnel.
Some passenger trains, both long distance and short distanced, may use bi-level (double-decker) cars to carry more passengers per train. Car design and the general safety of passenger trains have dramatically evolved over time, making travel by rail remarkably safe.
Freight trains comprise wagons , though some parcel and mail trains are more like passenger trains. Much of the world's freight is transported by train, and in the United States the rail system is used more for transporting freight than passengers. Under the right circumstances, transporting freight by train is highly economic, and also more energy efficient than transporting freight by
road. Rail freight is most economic when freight is being carried in bulk and over long distances, but is less suited to short distances and small loads.
译文
列车
列车是铁路运输中连接起来的一组车辆，它们在轨道上行驶，从一地向另一地运输旅客或货物。

轨道通常由两根钢轨组成，但是也有单轨和磁悬浮轨道。

列车的动力由单独的机车提供。

多数现代列车由内燃机车提供动力，尽管在历史上（从19世纪初到20世纪中期）蒸汽机车是机车动力的主要形式。

有各种各样用于特别目的的列车。

列车可以由一台或几台机车以及机车牵引的车厢组成。

旅客列车由一台或几台机车，一节或几节车厢组成。

旅客列车在车站之间行驶，旅客在车站上下车。

多数情况下，旅客列车按照固定时刻表运行，比货运列车有优先占用线路的权利。

管理旅客列车是列车员的责任。

他通常由其他乘务人员协助，例如餐车服务员、行李员。

在北美铁路公司的全盛时期，长途旅客列车上有两名列车员。

一名负责整个列车，另一名卧铺车列车员，负责管理卧铺车上的旅客。

一些旅客列车（长途列车或短途列车）使用双层客车以便运送更多的旅客。

随着时间的推移，旅客列车的车辆设计和安全规范日趋完善，使得乘火车旅行非常安全。

货运列车由货车车厢组成，尽管一些行包列车和邮政列车更像旅客列车。

全世界的货物的大部分是由列车运输的，在美国，铁路更多的用于运输货物而不是旅客。

在正常情况下，用列车运输货物是非常经济的，比用公路运输货物更能有效的利用能源。

当大量、长途运输货物时，铁路货运是最省钱的，而短途、少量运输货物时，铁路是不合适的。