Did a bird just fly in front of your eyes, or was it a plane? Well, you are mistaken, it instead is an incredibly fast Japanese bullet train. On an experimental track in Yamanashi today, a Japanese Railway Maglev set a decisive new world record after plying at 603 kilometres per hour.
In the span of 10.8 seconds, the train covered a distance of 1.8 kilometres. The as-fast-as-lightning train beat its own record, which stands at 581 kilometres per hour on a test track, by recording a speed of 590 kmph. The earlier record was set in 2003 during one of the Maglev tests.
Maglev trains are in no way like the commercial trains. Instead, they are run by using magnets for pushing away the train from the tracks and help the train drive forward. The best part is that these trains do not use metal tracks, but float 10 cms above the ground to make you feel a frictionless movement.
Japan is testing its train for finding out the best speed for a planned route between Nagoya and Tokyo, which is expected to begin its service by the year 2027. This trip would take you 5 hours by a car, but with a fast train like this, you could complete your journey in just 40 minutes.
Presently, China, on a route through Shanghai, operates the world’s largest commercial maglev. However, the United States lags far behind in the fastest train list. The Amtrak’s Acela Express, is the fastest train in the US, and can only ply at a speed of 241 kilometres per hour.
Featured Image Credit (qz.com)
