China has broken a speed record with a train that achieved 387 mph during a successful test run. However, the developers, CASIC, claim this is only a fraction of what their technology is capable of. According to the team, their Maglev “T-Flight” could potentially transport passengers to their destinations faster than an airplane in the future.
Over a decade ago, Elon Musk proposed the idea of a Tesla Hyperloop train system for the United States, but the concept never materialized.
CASIC Maglev T-Flight breaks world record in short test run
The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation completed phase one testing of its ultra-high-speed (UHS), low-vacuum-tube hyperloop train, and the T-Flight reached an incredible 387 mph (or 623 km/h) over a series of 1.24-mile-long (2km) tests, breaking the world record.
The Japanese L0 Series SCMaglev previously held the world speed record for the fastest Maglev (magnetic levitation) train at 375 mph (630 km/h). CASIC says that the longer-term plan is to multiply its speed by at least three, break the sound barrier, and eventually outpace airplanes.
How do hyperloop trains work?
Hyperloop trains travel through tubes that use low pressure to minimize air resistance, which facilitates super-high speeds. What would be called “carriages” on a standard train are called “pods” on the hyperloop train, which are designed to be as streamlined as possible. Magnetic levitation is employed to raise the pods off the track and propulsion is created by linear motors that use alternating magnetic fields for acceleration.
The T-Flight’s 1st and 2nd testing phases
For UHS trains to reach such speeds, there must be virtually no friction on the track at all, and it comes down to fractions of an inch. The T-Flight’s first test track was planed to a flat surface with a 0.01-inch (0.3-millimeter) tolerance, meaning there was only that fraction of a difference between the highest and lowest points on the track.
The test tunnel was built 20 feet (six meters) wide and had a geometric size error (the margin of error against a perfect shape) of less than 0.1 inch (two millimeters). In terms of pressure, when needed, the entire tunnel can be returned to normal pressure within five minutes.
Ambitious plans for the 2nd test phase
Following the success of the first test phase, CASIC plans to extend the track to 37 miles (60km). The ambitious program involves pushing the T-Flight to 621 mph (1,000 km/h). For now, this speed is hypothetical, but if reached, it would mean the Maglev train would be faster than passenger jets that travel at average speeds of 575 and 600 mph (925 and 966 km/h).
Future plans for CASIC’s T-Flight
CASIC says the company wants to set up a connection between Beijing and Wuhan that transports passengers or cargo at a speed of 1,243 mph (2,000 km/h). They have also spoken of getting passengers from Beijing to Shanghai in 90 minutes, which is a 680-mile (1,100-km) trip that normally takes between four and a half to six and a half hours to complete via existing high-speed rail transport.
None of CASIC’s plans are outlandish, considering that the T-Flight managed to break the world record on a track of a laughably short length and without the ideal low-vacuum environment that’s being developed for the next test phase.
When it comes to costs and viability, China shouldn’t have a problem covering the development costs and then making money from mass transit innovations, considering the country has such a vast population with an established reliance on public transport. But to build such a network of advanced vacuum tubes still appears to be an immense task.
There’s also the safety aspect. God forbid, if a depressurization event occurs in the tube network, how catastrophic could the ramifications be? Accidents at those kinds of speeds virtually guarantee a loss of life, so the systems would have to be flawless.
But the time of Maglev hyperloop trains is far from over, and ultra-high-speed transport will always be an attractive area of development, whether for cargo or passengers. The T-Flight’s second test phase, if it comes to pass, will offer a far clearer idea of the project’s viability, and the hyperloop hype is building.