China Rolls Out Prototype Of Superfast Maglev Train Capable Of Reaching Top Speed of 600km/h, To Be Commissioned In 5-10 Years

China’s high-speed maglev train, capable of reaching a top speed of 600km/h (373 miles per hour), rolled off the production line in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao on Tuesday (Jul 20).

Unlike conventional engines and rolling stock, maglev (magnetic levitation) trains hover above the track and are propelled forward by powerful electromagnets. The lack of friction makes them capable of travelling at much higher speeds than conventional trains. The high speed maglev train will be suspended, driven and guided without contact between the train and the track by means of electromagnetic force, with its resistance only

According to CRRC Qingdao Sifang Rolling Stock Research Institute Co (CRRC SRI), the manufacturer of maglev train, the prototype showcases a number of technology breakthroughs and advances, including a self-developed brake system that is 30 percent more efficient than the Shanghai maglev train, which means that the braking distance is reduced from about 16 kilometers to only 10 kilometers.

CRRC SRI developed the braking system, coupler, anti-vibration system, electricity system, passenger information system (PIS) and other core components of the 600 km/h maglev after five years of research and development.

The high-speed maglev is touted to be the fastest realizable ground vehicle.

The maglev train is likely to go to service in five to 10 years. There is no track line for the 600 km/h high speed maglev train in China yet.

Once the maglev line is built and commissioned, the high-speed train trip from South China's Shenzhen to Shanghai that currently takes 10 hours will be dramatically reduced to 2.5 hours.

The maglev trains are critical to Beijing's smart transport network that envisages up to nine maglev lines stretching more than 1,000km (620 miles).

China had built over 140,000km of railways, with 38,000km for high-speed trains, by the end of 2020, according to an estimate provided by state broadcaster CCTV.

Since 2008, China has put into operation an astounding 29,000 km of dedicated high-speed railway (HSR) lines, far more than the total high-speed lines operating in the rest of the world. The Chinese network now encompasses 66 per cent of the world’s total HSR lines - twice the total of all other countries.

Most major metropolitan regions in China are now either connected or in the process of being connected to HSR lines with a maximum speed of 200 kmph (kilometres per hour) or above.

At present in China the HSR lines are either designed for 350 kmph or 250 kmph. By the end of 2017, the length of 300–350 kmph lines was about 10,000 km, and the length of 200–250 kmph lines was about 15,000 km.

Also Read:

Explained: The Planning Behind The World’s Largest High-Speed Rail System In China

World Bank Lauds China’s Stunning High-Speed Rail Success Story, Says It Is A Benchmark For Other Countries