The maglev trains are not new. Over the past few decades, this locomotive technology has made giant strides, breaking records and achieving goals that would have been simply unthinkable before. Admittedly, the very idea of a train floating a short distance from the rails, without touching them and reaching very high speeds, is fascinating and propels us into the future.
And it is precisely from the future that the Chinese prototype that we are going to present seems to come. What is it about? A Maglev train already nicknamed ” projectile train ” this means of transport can reach 620 km / h, a characteristic which has earned it the title of the fastest train in the world.
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The prototype for China’s new high-speed Maglev train can travel at 620 km/h and appears to levitate over the magnetic tracks. It may be operational as soon as three years from now.https://t.co/4FFF8xWnte pic.twitter.com/qZ1RtJsxfx
— Getaway Magazine (@GetawayMagazine) January 19, 2021
It is still a prototype , of course, but the project is quite promising. In order to demonstrate what this train can do, researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu , Sichuan Province, built 165 meters of railroad on a trial basis, specifically to show the world their revolutionary means of transportation. .
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image credit: Robert Fischer/Twitter
And experts have assured that it is by no means a “laboratory toy”. The technology used by this vehicle is that of the high-temperature superconductor (HTS), considered cheaper, more efficient, and certainly more suitable for this type of super-fast transport. If the test is transformed, this “projectile” train promises not only to be faster than its predecessors but also more stable.
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In China, the world’s first high-temperature superconducting maglev prototype train was inaugurated on Jan. 13. It is expected to be the fastest land vehicle with a speed of 620 km/h.https://t.co/w4JQWd22JG pic.twitter.com/tQTBwr9vCM
— HeadShot_Headings (@Cine_Thulli) January 19, 2021
The investment for the development of the super-fast vehicle was around 9.3 million dollars and its 21-meter-long locomotive surprised when it floated on its demo ride. Imagine even that this vehicle, weighing 12 tons, thanks to its magnetic levitation system, can be moved with one hand by anyone, as observed by a journalist present at the presentation.
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image credit: South China Morning Post/Youtube
Although it will not be put into service immediately – in 3 to 10 years according to estimates – this train aims to reduce more and more the travel time from one city to another in China.
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image credit: South China Morning Post/Youtube
China is not new to this type of vehicle. In total, the Asian country has more than 37,500 km of high-speed rail network, in addition to a Maglev train considered to be one of the fastest currently in service in the world, the Shanghai Transrapid , used to connect the metropolis at the airport with a top speed of 430 km / h. A taste of the future , which will perhaps be much more common than we think today.
source of used: CGTN