China’s maglev train breaks its own speed record in low-vacuum tube

China’s maglev train has surpassed its previous record of 623 km/h (387 miles per hour) during tests in a low-vacuum tube just 2 km long, according to the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). The exact speed reached by the train has not been disclosed, reported the South China Morning Post.
The CASIC hailed the latest test as “a significant breakthrough”. It added that it was the first time the ultra-fast hyperloop train achieved stable levitation while travelling in a low-vacuum tube. It shared that the latest test involved the successful implementation of several key technologies and proved that they work well together. The powerful movement systems and overall safety controls also functioned as expected, the CASIC said.
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The high-speed train project involves the integration of aerospace and terrestrial rail transport technologies, with a designed speed of up to 1000km/h, thus aiming to surpass commercial aviation speeds.
“Science and technology progress step by step and some aspects of this project are still in uncharted territory in China. Every step is challenging, and it’s a complex system,” said the project’s chief designer Mao Kai.
The agency informed that the tests helped improve the overall technical maturity of the system and laid a solid technical foundation for future higher-speed tests and the construction of a national-level transport network.
The train uses maglev technology under which it levitates above the tracks due to magnetic forces, thus eliminating rolling resistance felt in conventional trains. The maglev train also propels forward with the use of magnetic forces. The only source of friction for the train is air.
In the latest test, the train was made to travel through a specifically designed low-vacuum tube thereby also reducing air resistance and as a result, increasing the speed.