Unbelievable Technology: See the Magic Behind Maglev Trains

Shanghai Maglev is currently the fastest commercial train in the world. It has an operational speed of 270 miles per hour and completes the 18-mile journey from Shanghai to the Pudong International Airport in just 7 minutes and 30 seconds. But it is nowhere near the fastest tested train in the world. That honor belongs to a Japanese Maglev train that can reach 374 miles per hour. What makes these trains faster than their traditional counterparts? It’s the power of magnets.

By utilizing magnets and special rail systems, Maglev trains can take friction out of the equation and test the speed limits of railway travel. There are currently two popular Maglev technologies. In EMS or electromagnetic suspension trains, the cars are equipped with electromagnets that push the car away from the ferromagnetic track.

EDS or electrodynamic suspension trains are much more complicated. Superconductive magnets are attached to the train and are constantly cooled with the help of liquid helium so they maintain their power. The guideway consists of two sets of magnets. One layer to suspend the second to guide. Both technologies are capable of producing trains much faster than conventional ones and likely will be used more in the future.

[Interestingengineeringofficial]

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[Mark_Ocain]

Japan still have a huge edge in this realm.

[bryanaxel]

We have flying cars, they're just really long.

[masaf]

Japan has many earthquakes, so we developed a superconducting magnet that can levitate 10cm. Absorbs earthquake shaking at 10cm intervals. It also absorbs vibrations while running, making it more comfortable than the Shinkansen. Like the Shinkansen, it is equipped with a system that detects P waves that arrive before an earthquake and automatically shuts off the power, making it possible to cut off the power and safely stop the train before an earthquake arrives. Masu.

[sebastianxu]

As I Chinese I can tell you guys that the highest speed of Shanghai maglev had been restricted at 300km/h since 2019. No more 430km/h maglev anymore

[JamesJohnAgar]

This is what we should be building here in the UK not HS2 that is going to be out of date by the time it is finished!!

[RadoslavFicko]

This mode of transportation can help freight traffic and has the advantage of reducing transit time.

[prof.hectorholbrook]

Will be technically interesting if / when such SC MAGLEV "trains" start to reach the 700mph arena:

With Mach 1 kicking in at circa 746mph at sea level, the air-friction barriers (in spite of creating a partial vacuum in a tunnel environment to ameliorate) will still be very significant. So, good luck!

[mikD]

You blew it mentioning " Vac-trains ".

[Joeyrobwilkinson]

If the someone in the u.s. could build these over free ways(cause people don't want to give up land) and make the check in process less of a walk than air ports, feel like they'd be profitable!

[AnonymousGuy]

They have reduced Shanghai Maglev Speed limits to 300 km/h

[XiaoxiaoYuyu-uggy]

China says its maglev hyperloop train has broken the world speed record in a test run, reaching a blistering 387 mph (623 km/h). Ultimately, its makers want to build a train more than three times as fast that will break the sound barrier and outpace airplanes.

[theonh]

Meanwhile they are building a train line through numerous mountains between Tokyo and Osaka using billions and billions, i am still waiting for Japan so do something for my prefecture where there is no train.

[sujatabarman]

Amazing china, I am an Indian, our country is building now semi bullet train as well as low speed bullet train, it also trying to develop Maglev train and Hyperloop train also, perhaps, all projects will be completed within 2032, but china has gone far ahead of us, so congratulations to china,

[cffvgkc]

this is what they shoud have in the us because we run on trains

[dohminkonoha]

Another technological breakthrough of Maglev is liquid nitrogen superconductor.
Liquid helium is too expensive.

[douglasengle]

By 2045 eight meter wide three level maglev trains traveling at 800 kph. - 1, 000 kph would seem possible. The China CR600 maglev appears to be close to a 4 meter wide loading gauge width a bit more than the already wide for standard gauge loading gauge width used on China HSR trains. There is large possibility it will advance to 800 kph running speeds by later implementations. That is being developed. The Chinese maglev CR600 appears to be electro magnet suspension allowing it to levitate at a standstill without the need for retractable wheels. The EMS likely also allows adjustments for carrying heavy cargo.  

All very high speed trains need very cheap to free incremental electric power such as their own hydropower generators with unlimited water. New technology nuclear electric power is likely a second choice. Putting the trains in vacuum tubes would not allow passenger to watch the scenery. To make it worth while with the lack of passenger experience vacuum tube speeds would likely need to be mach 2 or more. I'd think passengers would become accustom to having to hold on a bit for rapid acceleration for a couple minutes before and after a stop for 1, 000 kph (621 mph) maglevs. At that speed 100 miles goes by about every ten minutes which is likely the distances between stops.

It is an odd decision the Japanese Shinkansen Chūö maglev has a narrower loading gauge width then the standard gauge rail Shinkansen. The Chūö has to reach about 90 mph (145 kph) before generating levitation. That means it has retractable landing gear much like an aircraft with constant high maintenance. It appears to be a throw back to cape gauge loading gauge width based on 3-1/2 foot track gauge used through much of Japan. Maglev trains can support their width proportionally allowing the preferred loading gauge width of about 8 meters.

Since the beginning of the railroad age in 1840s dual track UK railways were designed to allow occasional use of double width carriages using the inner rails of the double tracks. An 8 meter wide loading gauge would allow large assemblies to be moved overland changing the world as we know it. The stability would allow three levels. The technology likely has a realistic practical limit below the speed of sound to stay keep from creating sonic booms.  The top passenger level could have vista domes to allow passengers to see forward.

All high speed trains need incrementally cheap to free electricity such as their own hydropower electric generation with unlimited water. New technology nuclear power could come close to this. Japan's HSR was hoped to be powered by incrementally cheap nuclear electric power.

[steezio]

train in the thumbnail isn't even a maglev

[mnymk]

Can use oxygen as fuel takes away from 'me or you'.

[bakhtawarshaikh]

THE MAGLEV TRAIN FASTER THAN NANJI H2R BIKE