China has started the construction of a test line in China’s Shanxi Province to handle maglev trains operating at speeds of up to 1,000km/h.
To mark the official launch of the maglev test line, a ground-breaking ceremony was held in Shanxi, reported the Science and Technology Daily.
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The maglev project is being undertaken by the North University of China and the Third Research Institute at China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.
North Central University School of Electrical and Control Engineering dean Ma Tiehua was quoted by the publication as saying: “The high-speed train uses superconducting magnetic levitation technology to disengage from the ground to eliminate frictional drag and a near-vacuum internal duct line to dramatically reduce air resistance to achieve travel speeds of more than 1,000km/h.”
Supported by these technologies, the high-speed trains will have the capacity to travel at a speed of 300m/s.
Ma Tiehua added: “Future high-speed trains are likely to exceed 1,000km/h and even reach speeds of 3,000km/h and 4,000km/h.”
As reported by the Science and Technology Daily, the project will start with a full-scale test line in Yanggao County, Datong City.
During the first phase, the test line will extend up to 2km while it will extend to 5km in the next phase.
In the third phase, the maglev test line will have a length of 15km.
After completion, it will operate next to the primary high-speed rail line with ample space for upcoming development.
In February this year, China started commissioning five maglev trains at speeds of up to 600km/h in Qingdao, Shandong province.
Before this development, China’s CR400 series of Fuxing locomotives operated at a maximum speed of 400km/h.
These locomotives were said to be the fastest commercially operated locomotive trains globally.
