For more than a century, humans have relied on planes to reduce time of domestic travels. In the future, it might be possible to hop aboard a train to get to the destination even faster than any commercial plane. This could be the reality awaiting China in the next few years, as the country has hit a breakthrough in introducing ultra-high-speed train travel.
Outpacing a Plane
China's 'T-Flight' train has successfully reached a record speed of 387 mph (623 kph) on a low-vacuum tube measuring only 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) long. This speed is even faster than Japan's MLX01 Maglev, the fastest operational train in the world at 361 mph (581 kph).
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) built the T-Flight with an ultimate goal of creating a tube system between Wuhan and Beijing which are 650 miles (1,955 kilometers) away from each other. Chinese engineers believe that this train can reach 1,243 mph (2,000 kph) once commercialized. At this speed, it can outpace currently operating trains around the world, not to mention planes.
This could be faster than the speed of sound, and more than twice the speed of the Boeing 737 plane. At such a great speed, the T-flight train can go from Wuhan to Beijing in just 30 minutes, instead of the usual four hours in current high-speed trains.
The Bullet Train from Japan goes along at 275 mph (443 kph). The Eurostar reaches 186 mph (299 kph), while most trains in the U.K. operate at around 125 mph (201 kph). China's T-Flight can even be faster than the latest high-speed experimental aircraft from NASA, the X-59, which is capable of cruising at 937 mph (1,508 kph). Despite its record-breaking capability, T-Flight would not match Concorde, the last supersonic aircraft to fly at 1,350 mph (2,173 kph).
T-Flight would also be a hyperloop train, which means that it will transport people at top speeds in tubes between distant locations. This concept was first proposed by American engineer Robert Goddard in 1910. However, this technology could still be many decades away from happening because of the costs and practical issues, similar to the beleaguered HS2 rail line in the U.K.
Magnetic Levitation
The T-Flight uses magnetic levitation (maglev), a system of transportation which suspends, guides, and moves vehicles, especially trains. These tasks are done by using levitation from a very large number of magnets for lift and propulsion, allowing the train to glide seamlessly.
The magnetic fields interact with simple metallic loops set into the concrete walls of the Maglev guideway. These loops are made of conductive material, such as aluminum. When a magnetic material moves past, it produces an electric current which creates another magnetic field.
The floating magnet design helps in creating a smooth trip. Even if the train moves at immense speed, the riders experience less turbulence than on traditional steel wheels since the only source of friction is air. This eliminates the use of wheels that can cause friction. In short, the mechanism offers a faster and quieter train service.
Magnetic levitation technology has various applications, with the most prominent being transportation. It can also be applied in the industrial processes, and in research and development.
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