Japan's maglev train breaks own speed record at 603 kph

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese maglev that is the fastest passenger train in the world has broken its own speed record.

Operator JR Central said the train reached 603 kilometers per hour (375 miles per hour) in a test run on Tuesday, surpassing its previous record of 361 mph (581 kph) set in 2003. The train traveled for just over a mile (1.8 kilometers) at a speed exceeding 600 kph (373 mph).

Japan's high-speed rail services are among the most advanced in the world, with hundreds of trains running each day with minimal delays. However, unlike regular shinkansen or "bullet trains" that run on steel rails, magnetic levitation trains hover above rails, suspended by powerful magnets.

The Maglev Test Line, near Mount Fuji about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Tokyo, is developing technology for use on a future 410-kilometer (250-mile) link that will reduce travel time between Tokyo and Osaka to just over an hour. The current minimum by bullet train is nearly three hours.

The maglev trains, begun as a project of Japan Airlines and the national railways with government support, have undergone decades of testing. Construction of the Tokyo-Osaka link, which is expected to cost more than 9 trillion yen ($76 billion), began in 2014.

The line, which will mostly run under mountains, is due to begin operations in the late 2020s. A similar system operates in Shanghai, linking its airport in the seaside suburbs of Pudong to the city's subway system.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-04-22

The PM of Thailand, issued a statement after hearing this.

I want that!

I remember many many years ago seeing an experimental maglev train at I think it was the Cavendish Labs in Cambridge, it was just able to lift itself up and glide along a short track at walking pace, now look where its gone

These are very weird things to ride -- I took the Shanghai maglev in from the airport and was wondering when it would get up to speed only to find out from the display that we were going 350kph already.

There's no sensation of movement since you glide on a magnetically-induced cushion of air.

Too cool! That's on my bucket list.

Birmingham (UK) airport - BHX - used to have a Maglev system to transport passengers to/from the adjacent railway station and exhibition hall to the airport check-in hall.

It didn't go very far - track length was 600m - and certainly didn't break any speed records. The ride time was about 90 seconds.

The system ran from 1984 to 1995 but was then closed because of maintenance difficulties - basically couldn't get the spare parts needed to keep it going. There is a different system in use now.

More info. on Wikki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirRail_Link

DM

Does anyone know what the national speed record for a train in Thailand is?

Does anyone know what the national speed record for a train in Thailand is?

Do you want the record for an inebriated or an asleep engineer?

I'd like to know what the efficiency is compared to a bullet train. It has to be very inefficient, with both the levitation and the high-speed air resistance at those speeds. Fuel efficiency is the main reason large jet aircraft fly at high altitudes most of the time.

But, no matter. They can always build some more nuke plants for the power. Or maybe they can mount solar panels on the carriage roofs. Or wind generators?

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I'd like to know what the efficiency is compared to a bullet train. It has to be very inefficient, with both the levitation and the high-speed air resistance at those speeds. Fuel efficiency is the main reason large jet aircraft fly at high altitudes most of the time.

But, no matter. They can always build some more nuke plants for the power. Or maybe they can mount solar panels on the carriage roofs. Or wind generators?

You don't have friction and drag from wheels on steel rail so that's a plus , the rest is science.

I believe that a poll was taken asking which is the best route to take BKK to Pattaya , BKK to Phuket and the Silom Poll got 99.8% support for BKK to Kalasin Thailand the magnetic attraction.

Cool stuff!

Donald campbell was the driver R.I.P.

I'd like to know what the efficiency is compared to a bullet train. It has to be very inefficient, with both the levitation and the high-speed air resistance at those speeds. Fuel efficiency is the main reason large jet aircraft fly at high altitudes most of the time.

But, no matter. They can always build some more nuke plants for the power. Or maybe they can mount solar panels on the carriage roofs. Or wind generators?

The biggest drain of energy there is the wind drag on the train and not the magnetic levitation or forward propulsion of the system. Think of satellites or shuttles in space... they can adjust their positions with tiny amounts of power because there is no friction.

Another British invention that had to be developed by some one else

I'd like to know what the efficiency is compared to a bullet train. It has to be very inefficient, with both the levitation and the high-speed air resistance at those speeds. Fuel efficiency is the main reason large jet aircraft fly at high altitudes most of the time.

But, no matter. They can always build some more nuke plants for the power. Or maybe they can mount solar panels on the carriage roofs. Or wind generators?

The biggest drain of energy there is the wind drag on the train and not the magnetic levitation or forward propulsion of the system. Think of satellites or shuttles in space... they can adjust their positions with tiny amounts of power because there is no friction.

It's still using energy to defeat gravity (levitate), at least until it gets up to a speed where it can maintain height aerodynamically (which also requires energy). Also, the train has momentum so getting it up to those high speeds requires substantial energy. Maintaining speed requires overcoming air friction drag. This thing has to be very energy-inefficient. No free energy lunch.

To chainarong: I'd call it engineering, not science.

Also, there should be safety concerns. I wouldn't want to be on it at those speeds if even one car in the train lost it. Will they provide for loss of power/levitation at cruising speed or have some kind of backup system to avoid a really catastrophic incident?