In China, the T-Flight train on magnetic suspension was accelerated to a record 1000 km/h
China’s largest manufacturer, CASIC, claims that during tests in a vacuum tube just 2 km long, it demonstrated the highest speed ever for a magnetic suspension vehicle – over 623 km/h.
CASIC has built a 2-kilometer test section of a low-vacuum pipe, the longest ever built. After numerous tests at lower speeds over several months, the CASIC team sent its high-speed T-Flight vehicle to the track, where it broke the 623 km/h mark.
CASIC said it had confirmed the interaction between the vehicle and the highway. At the second stage, the route will be extended to 60 km, which will allow the train to accelerate to a speed of 1000 km/h, which is faster than an airliner.
CASIC has big ambitions for this system, claiming a top speed of 2000 km/h. But the company seems to be realistic about the problems and practicalities involved.
More importantly, China’s huge population – 1.412 billion and growing – makes it one of the few countries in the world where public transportation systems of this enormous cost can be close to being realized.
