Japan has broken records as its 375mph maglev train from Central Japan Railway set a new world speed mark during testing.
The country is already renowned for its extensive transport network, which includes the Shinkansen (bullet) train system, established in 1964. The high-speed rail system, known for its speed, reliability, and safety, connects major cities in Japan with trains that reach up to 200mph. The network currently has the world’s fastest trains; however, that will soon change when this new maglev train becomes available for passengers to use.
The train line is developing a maglev track that will link Tokyo, Japan’s capital, to Nagoya, the country’s manufacturing and shipping hub.
As of right now, the 200-mile journey between the two city’s currently take 90 minutes, but the new track, aimed to be completed by 2027, will connect the two cities in just 40 minutes.
Maglev trains in Japan were first developed by Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) and the Railway Technical Research Institute in the 1960s. The name comes from a combination of “magnetic” and “levitation,” which is precisely how they travel so fast.
The record-breaking trains can travel at such speeds due to the magnetic repulsion between the cars and the tracks. The train’s floating is achieved through the use of electrodynamic suspension systems, also known as EDS.
This method works because the rails or guideways feature two sets of cross-connected metal coils shaped into a figure-8 pattern to form electromagnets.
The trains themselves are superconducting electromagnets called bogies. To move, they travel slowly on rubber wheels, which allows the magnets underneath them to engage with those on the rail.
Once the train reaches 93 mph, the magnetic force is strong enough to lift it four inches off the ground and eliminate friction, allowing the bullet train to travel at rapid speeds.
Those magnetic forces also help move it forward while keeping it centred within the rails.
Maglev trains currently only operate in three countries – Japan, China and South Korea, with China having the most operational maglev lines, followed by South Korea and then Japan.