Forget Hoverboard, Japan Just Tested Its Own Hovertrain
It carried 100 passengers who experienced what's it like to travel at lightning speed while floating.
By Sadho Ram — 20 Nov 2014, 06:27 AM — Updated about 10 years ago
A Japanese train that floats above the tracks and moves at super-fast speed completed its first run with some 100 passengers
As they experienced such a record-breaking ride, several passengers began to applaud
Image via dailymail.co.ukThe magnetically levitating train's testing was done by the Central Japan Railway Company. It can go past 500 kmph.
The maglev train (shorthand for magnetic levitation) carried 100 passengers over a 27-mile span in Japan between the cities Uenohara and Fuefuki, reaching speeds of 311 mph; monitors charted the train's quick speed. In December, the train will be tested over an eight-day period.
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However, even after reaching a top speed of 500 kmph, the hovertrain did not experience any major trembling, and the passengers onboard felt no discomfort
Excited members of the public snapped photos as the train reached speeds of 502 km per hour
Image via dailymail.co.ukThe train’s maglev technology reduces friction and helps them go faster than your average speeding bullet train. Shanghai, China also uses maglev train technology. This train can go 268 mph at top operational speed, but has been clocked at 311 mph before.
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The maglev method of transportation works with the help of magnets; its top speed put other trains to shame. They are even faster than Japan's famous bullet trains.
The maglev train is designed for commuters; it can carry up to 1,000 travelers in 16 cars. In addition to the "floating" carriages that hover a few millimeters above the track, the train's elongated nose reduces wind resistance for quicker travel.
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According to the BBC, The Central Japan Railway Company will be testing the trains over eight days, with a total of 2,400 passengers. The trains will eventually run from Tokyo to Nagoya by 2027. The trip will take about 40 minutes between stations.