health related to urban sprawl?

Urban sprawl seems to be a quite important topic in urban development. The generalized impression seems to be that it is more a problem. I quite agree with that. Urban sprawl results in little population densities. As a result mass transportation systems are inefficient. Wherever you locate bus / subway stations, people will just not make use of them because the average length to your place is still too far. Thus in horizontally developed urban areas you'll find increased use of private motorized transportation means, mostly in the form of automobiles, with the associated environmental and noise problems. As usual you can read a lot more on this topic in wikipedia.

So recently I came across an article that analyzes this problem from a different point of view. The argument is that urban sprawl may be linked with worse heath. It seems to me that there are still many open points in the article that need more discussion. However I thought the idea interesting. The main point seems to be that cities not consisting of mixed business/residential areas discourage human exercise since you never get anywhere by walking or riding a bike. The study is not too conclusive but an interesting read nevertheless.

ave s103 and fastech 360

Recently I read an interesting update relating to the long awaited madrid-barcelona high speed line (known here as AVE = alta velocidad española). It seems the trains doing the partial route tarragona-madrid will be substituted with S103 models. The S103 is a siemens velaro E, a variation of the ICE 3 for the spanish high speed network. There's some more info in wikipedia. Apparently the TALGO developed S102 had a vibration problem that precludes it from running at the planned 350km/h and makes it less comfortable for the passengers. The siemens trainsets are heavier, more powerful and more stable.

On a related note, I saw this information of a newer shinkansen design being undertaken by JR east. The fastech 360 is a shinkansen model capable of running up to 360 km/h. Interestingly it features emergency air brake plates like those for an aircraft similar to the ears of a cat. It has therefore been called the ねこみみ新幹線, meaning "cat-eared Shinkansen". Wikipedia has also some info.