The China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) has built a prototype maglev train that can hit a staggering 373mph. How does this type of train work? Permanent and electro-magnets work together to create a current on the rail that enables the train to glide along at high-speeds on a small cushion of air. Since there’s almost no friction, it’s capable of achieving crazy speeds extremely quickly. “Take Beijing to Shanghai as an example. Counting preparation time for the journey, it takes about 4.5 hours by plane, about 5.5 hours by high-speed rail, and would take about 3.5 hours with the high-speed maglev,” said Ding Sansan, CRRC’s deputy chief engineer. It will now enter a testing period, before it goes into full production for 2021 launch. Read more for a video and additional information.
“CRRC’s prototype, which was first announced back in 2015, won’t be the first train to hit these kinds of speeds. Back in 2015, Japan set a new world speed record with a maglev train of its own that hit 375 mph (603 km/h). The country is currently building a 314 mph (505 km/h) maglev rail line between Tokyo and Nagoya that’s due to open in 2027,” reports The Verge.
