In the 1950’s many believed that railways were an antiquated 19th century technology, soon to be abandoned in favor of faster and more convenient forms of transportation. Short and medium-haul jet travel offered unparalleled speed, while the automobile promised unmatched freedom and convenience. In France the fastest express trains (Le Mistral) averaged speeds of just 120km/h. Although French engineers had set remarkable railway speed records during the decade, including reaching 331 km/h in 1955, few considered railways to have much of a future. To compete against newer forms of transports, trains would have to get significantly faster. This would require engineering new locomotives, as well as rebuilding rail lines with greater precision, more gentle curves, smaller grades and more precise signaling. The effort and resources required seem too great to be worthwhile, but the Japanese were about to radically change how railways were viewed..