Reaching speeds of 600 kilometers per hour, or equal to 373 miles per hour, a maglev bullet train has marked its debut in Qingdao, China.
It is recognized as the fastest train in the world and was developed by the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation owned by the state.
Evident to its name “maglev”, or a shorter term for “magnetic levitation”, the new way of transportation seems to be “floating”. Its appearance is attributed to an electromagnetic force that causes it to move above its tracks.
Maglev discharges minimal noise pollution levels and only needs little maintenance as compared to its high-speed counterparts, Liang Jianying, deputy general manager and chief engineer of CRRC Sifang shared to Chinese state media.
Back in 2019, the country unveiled to the media a model of the new maglev train and announced in the same year its target to make “3-hour transportation circles” between main metropolitan areas in China.
The world’s most populous country, which has ambitions to use trains to link its major cities to cut travel time and expenses, prioritizes high-speed rail.
At present, the average high-speed train in Asian countries can go about 350 kph. Planes, meanwhile, can fly at 800 to 900 kph. The newly unveiled train in Qingdao could connect the critical gaps.
The insufficiency of full maglev track networks, however, obstructs the maglev train from being able to accommodate commuters.
Only one maglev line is available for commercial use in China at present. It links Shanghai’s Pudong Airport with the Longyang Road station located in the city. It only takes seven and a half minutes to complete the 30 kilometers or 19 miles distance with the train running at 430 kph, CNN reported.
There were reports that new maglev networks are underway. Among these is the one that connects Shanghai and Hangzhou; as well as Chengdu and Chongqing.
