MagLev train sets new speed record

[Dirk Hofman]

603 kph / 375 mph

This is a pretty amazing (and striking looking) machine. They're talking about sustained passenger speeds of 500 kph / 310 mph.

[patrickgm60]

Wow - 600 Kmh! That's nuts!

I've ridden the maglev train at the Shanghai airport and it is smooth! I believe we hit 430kmh. Having made the comparison with wheeled high-speed trains, I have to believe mag lev is the future. I assume its the technology that is restraining them, for now.

[epluribus36]

I can understand travelling in the air at those speeds, but on the ground, in my humble opinion, is a different matter.

There are just too many things that can go wrong travelling that fast on the ground.

At least in the air, if you happen to slam into something, you have a chance to crash-land or jump out of the plane (with a parachute of course). Slamming into something on the ground, at 500 mph, whoa. Crunch! Seat belts aren't gonna do much good, I don't think! Just my 2 cents.

[epluribus36]

Oops, sorry, 310-375 mph, my bad. Still!

[RustyZombie]

Originally Posted by epluribus36

I can understand travelling in the air at those speeds, but on the ground, in my humble opinion, is a different matter.

There are just too many things that can go wrong travelling that fast on the ground.

At least in the air, if you happen to slam into something, you have a chance to crash-land or jump out of the plane (with a parachute of course). Slamming into something on the ground, at 500 mph, whoa. Crunch! Seat belts aren't gonna do much good, I don't think! Just my 2 cents.

They are in the air.

[epluribus36]

Originally Posted by BlackmoresNight

They are in the air.

Not far enough from making contact with something that's connected to the ground, for my taste.

To tell the truth, I'm not really that crazy about airplanes either. Or motorcycles for that matter.

I like to live, and don't like pain too much.

[RedJoker]

Originally Posted by epluribus36

Not far enough from making contact with something that's connected to the ground, for my taste.

To tell the truth, I'm not really that crazy about airplanes either. Or motorcycles for that matter.

I like to live, and don't like pain too much.

I agree. That's why I like to walk slow, too.

[architype]

I love it! That's great! I only wish it were happening in the US.

Going back to an earlier thread I would like to see an elevated mag-lev train with elevated bicycle path underneath and solar panels mounted on the structure moving across the landscape like the Roman aqueducts. Every few vertical supports could become a wind mill.
At those speeds you need an almost dead level track with big sweeping curves. It could march right across the mid-western farm land and the ground under it could still be farmed.

[RustyZombie]

Originally Posted by epluribus36

Not far enough from making contact with something that's connected to the ground, for my taste.

To tell the truth, I'm not really that crazy about airplanes either. Or motorcycles for that matter.

I like to live, and don't like pain too much.

They have to be close to the magnets to work, and I'm not sure where else the magnets can be but on the ground or on something connected to the ground.

Just curious, do you have a problem with cars too? One is much more likely to hit something or get hit in a car than they would on one of those trains.

[Bingoccc]

I'm in the group that thinks the train is awesome. I too, wish we had a good, high-speed rail system being built around the country.

[epluribus36]

Originally Posted by BlackmoresNight

They have to be close to the magnets to work, and I'm not sure where else the magnets can be but on the ground or on something connected to the ground.

Just curious, do you have a problem with cars too? One is much more likely to hit something or get hit in a car than they would on one of those trains.

Yessir, but at least one isn't going 300 mph! I wouldn't do anything but walk if I had my druthers.

[KevWind]

Thats pretty cool love to do do that someday

[RustyZombie]

Originally Posted by epluribus36

Yessir, but at least one isn't going 300 mph! I wouldn't do anything but walk if I had my druthers.

That speed would be a problem in a car (assuming it was realistic) because of the potential of hitting something. That isn't an issue with the train. I'm still not understanding your problem with it.

[sled]

The first accident scene will be miles long....

[RustyZombie]

Originally Posted by sled

The first accident scene will be miles long....

How so? The train doesn't have anywhere near that length, nor enough mass to have enough inertia to slide that distance.