Japan's Maglve train reaches 500km/h
 

15 November 2014 Last updated at 13:23 GMT

Train fans have experienced the speed of super-fast maglev trains, during test runs for members of the public in central Japan.
One hundred passengers whizzed along a 42.8km (27 mile) route between the cities of Uenohara and Fuefuki, reaching speeds of up to 500km/h (311mph).
The Central Japan Railway Company is running eight days of testing for the experimental maglev Shinkansen train on its test track in Yamanashi Prefecture.
The maglev trains are even faster than Japan's famous bullet trains, which currently travel at about 320km/h (200mph).
They use magnetic levitation, hence the name, to "float" above the train tracks.

Another British invention.

Maglev is indeed a British invention (Liverpool University I think). It was realised here that for most purposes it was totally impractical. The track has to be a solid, above ground structure the width of the train with the top surface covered in aluminium sheet. The train "flies" a couple of centimetres above the track, so any debris landing on the track becomes a hazard. (Leaf fall season?). Junctions or track changing causes problems because a section of the track has to be moved to the new alignment, not as simple as points. The Japanese have built a couple of lines as a test bed and to satisfy their need for speed, but for the passenger numbers in Japan they will not be able to afford to build a workable system they need.

I recall seeing the professor who thought of the idea demonstrating it on TV in the 1950's. He said it was an electric motor turned inside out. The idea worked well, for twenty years, transporting people from Birmingham Airport to Birmingham International Railway Station/ National Exhibition Centre in a driverless carriage.

There is a maglev link from Shanghai airport to the city. I knew it was fast, very fast in fact, but didn't realise the figures were quite so impressive. There is a good description of it on wikipedia here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train

Plenty of clips on Youtube on this stretch of Maglev. Very impressive looking at the speed it passes buildings etc.

The TGV has managed 574 kph on a straight track, so Maglev has some way to go to become a viable competitor to conventional traction.

If you go into the Gallery and type "Maglev" you will find two photos of the Shanghai Maglev. If you type in Maglev into the general search you find quite a number of Threads and least one video on Maglevs over the years.

Best wishes.

John H-T.

What happens if the power fails? What safety mechanism do they have to stop the train settling onto the surface in a shower of sparks?

It has wheels to fall onto. I was surprised at how slow the maglev at Birmingham was; the demonstration I saw, a metal plate shot along a rail at high speed. With only air resistance the speed is limited only to the available power.