Tony Balsano, age 13, of Montgomery, Ala., for his question:
ARE THE EUROPEAN TRAINS GOOD?
Europe has one of the worlds best transportation systems and much of the credit can go to the outstanding railroad network. As a matter of fact, about a third of the worlds entire network of railroad tracks can be found in Europe. European trains are great.
Networks of railroad lines, airline routes, canals, highways and rivers crisscross the continent of Europe. They reach almost all of the area except for small parts of European Russia and Scandinavia.
Trans Europ Express trains link principal cities in nine Western European countries. Immigration and customs inspectors ride these trains and make examinations during trips. Trains also carry much of the freight shipped in Europe.
Many tunnels carry motor and rail traffic through Europe's mountains. The worlds three longest motor traffic tunnels and four of the longest railroad tunnels are in Europe.
The Simplon Tunnel, the world's second longest railraod tunnel, cuts through the Alps between Italy and Switzerland. It is 12.5 miles long.
The Mont Blanc Tunnel, which links France with Italy through the Alps, is the world's longest motor traffic tunnel. It is seven and a quarter miles long.
In addition to the network of railroad lines and highways, European airlines fly throughout the continent and out to all parts of the world. The national airlines of Denmark, Norway and Sweden have been combined to form Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). The Netherlands' Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), established in 1919, is the world's oldest airline still in operation.
Europe handles more than half of the worlds international shipping. Seven of the world's 10 largest merchant fleets belong to European countries. These are the fleets of France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Norway, Russia and West Germany.
Europe's rail and highway networks connect ail parts of the continent with the ports.
Europe has many of the world's busiest ports. Rotterdam, in The Netherlands, handles more cargo each year than does any other port in the world. Other leading ports include Antwerp, Belgium; Genoa, Italy; LeHavre and Marseille, France; and London, England.
Joining the well developed system of transportation in Europe is a system of communciation. Modern communications systems link almost ail parts of Europe with each other and with the other continents.