VVR - IAS Exam Preparation
Current Affairs:
Japanese Maglev train set the world speed record of 603 kmph:
Japanese bullet train Maglev on 21 April 2015 created a new world speed record of 603 kilometer per hour (kmph) in a test run near Mount Fuji. The seven-car maglev (short for magnetic levitation) train broke its previous record of 580 kilometer per hour created in 2003.
About Maglev:
- Maglev, the name derived from magnetic levitation, is a transport method that uses magnetic levitation to move vehicles without touching the ground
- It hovers 10 centimeters above the tracks and is propelled by electrically charged magnets. The use of a magnetic charge helps the train to lift and move it above a guide way
- The technology used in the train provides a smooth, quiet ride in almost twice as a traditional high-speed rail
Central Japan Railway has planned to bring the train into service in 2027 by plying it on the 286 kilometer route between Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya. It is expected that the maglev trains will link Tokyo and Osaka by slashing the journey time to its half by 2045.
Japan is well-established as the world leader in high-speed trains. It developed the first bullet train in 1964.