Speeding Bullets and Magical MagLevs

(images via: Quotulatiousness, Fasthing and Nippon Sharyo)

The newest bullet train, the E5 Series Shinkansen, was recently unveiled in concept form. The aluminum-alloy bodied E5 has a top speed of 320 kmh (200 mph) and is expected to enter service in the year 2011. As cool as this sounds, an even more advanced series of 500 kmh (360 mph) MagLev (magnetically levitated) trains is now in the testing stage in preparation for commercial use in the year 2525 - take that, Zager & Evans!

Here’s a short video of the MagLev train making a 500 kmh test run… blink and you’ll miss it:

Japanese MagLev, 500km/h, via Zagin

Fast Train from China

(images via: Random Wire and China Daily)

One country already has a MagLev train in operation and it’s “speedily” stolen the hearts of riders. Construction began on the Beijing-Shanghai high speed rail line in the year 2000 and the first MagLev trains rolled - floated, actually - into service in March of 2004. Built with German technology for a staggering $1.2 billion and boasting a top speed of 431 kmh (267 mph), the Shanghai MagLev Train is the world’s fastest commercial train… in theory, at least. Since the current line connecting Shanghai’s main railroad station and international airport is only 30 km (18.5 miles) long, operational speeds on the MagLev line average just 245.5 kmh (152.5 mph).

(images via: Wangjianshuo)

Note the blood on the front of the above SMT lead car - the train moves so quickly even birds can’t get out of the way fast enough. One hopes it WAS a bird…