Thread: Japan’s Maglev Train Blasts Past Speed Record

Imagine commuting at a speed of, well, faster than a speeding bullet. You’d feel like Superman right? The concept isn’t that far-fetched.

During a test run this week, Japan’s state-of-the-art maglev train hit a top speed of 603 kilometers per hour (374.69 mph), marking a new world record. Maglev, or magnetic levitation, trains “float” over guiding tracks utilizing magnetic technology to replace steel wheels and tracks.

The test run was one in a series of milestones as Central Japan Railway moves toward its goal of cutting the current travel time between Tokyo and Nagoya (about 177 miles) to 40 minutes by 2027. Current travel time via an existing bullet train servicing the route is about an hour and a half.

The new world record will likely come into play during an upcoming U.S. visit by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has expressed interest in perfecting and distributing the technology internationally.

Japan's Maglev Train Blasts Past Speed Record -