Testing began in Japan on world's fastest bullet train

Cal Jeffrey

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In a nutshell: A partnership between Hitachi and Kawasaki Heavy Industries has just tested a new bullet train that has a cruising speed faster than a NASCAR and a top speed faster than a Formula One. The Shinkansen ALFA-X will scoot passengers along at 225 mph when it debuts in 2030.

Last week Japan began testing a new bullet train. Called the Shinkansen ALFA-X, it is capable of traveling at 400 kph or roughly 250 mph. However, operators will keep the train’s speed at 360 kph (225 mph) when carrying passengers.

Even at this lower speed, it will still be the fastest bullet train in the world. Currently, that title is held by a Chinese train called Fuxing. Fuxing carries passengers at 350 kpm but is capable of a top speed of 400 kph just like the Shinkansen.

So it will technically tie as the fastest train, only being considered the fastest due to technical differences in operational rules.

According to CNN, last Friday’s marked the first in a series of test runs that will occur twice a week for three years. The trials will be made at midnight on routes between Aomori and Sendai.

The front and rear of the train have a 72-foot long tapered nose for optimal aerodynamics. It will use a combination of roof-mounted air brakes and magnetic plates underneath for braking. Engineers will also test a 52-foot long version. It will carry up to ten passenger cars, but it is unclear how many each compartment will seat.

The ALFA-X is not scheduled to take on passengers until 2030. In the meantime, the Shinkansen N700S will begin operations in 2020. It will travel at 300 kph, which is still quite fast. If it is still not speedy enough for you, you can always take the Japan's maglev which reached a top speed of 603 kpm (375mph) in 2015 but operates with passengers at 500 kph (video above).

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That is not impressive. A regular-track train back in 2007 was able to achieve the speed of 574km/h, so you would think that a modern bullet train should be able to do 500km/h on the daily.

 
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That is not impressive. A regular-track train back in 2007 was able to achieve the speed of 574km/h, so you would think that a modern bullet train should be able to do 500km/h on the daily.

That is not impressive. A regular-track train back in 2007 was able to achieve the speed of 574km/h, so you would think that a modern bullet train should be able to do 500km/h on the daily.


There's a bit of a difference between a passanger train and a train designed specifically to beat speed records with tracks that had to me within 1mm tolerances. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGV_world_speed_record

If it was something special, the wiki page would not have ended in 2007 with it's speed record.
 
I thought it was special.

Did you see how smooth & quiet it was too.

Maglev for me.

More fun when you feel it? No? :)
tom_2.gif
 
That's a pretty good idea. What could go wrong with a nuclear reactor mounted on a surface vehicle running at 400 kph?
It's kinda funny, but in the 50-70's, nuclear-powered everything was a serious fad. Nuke powered car, homes, planes, etc. We had this new power source to play with and it was only a matter of time before you could buy your own home nuclear reactor at a Radio Shack.
 
It's kinda funny, but in the 50-70's, nuclear-powered everything was a serious fad. Nuke powered car, homes, planes, etc. We had this new power source to play with and it was only a matter of time before you could buy your own home nuclear reactor at a Radio Shack.

I miss Radio Shack...
 
I miss Radio Shack...
You & me both, brother. I used to live in those stores during the 70-80's, always buying stuff to build and tinker with. Learned a lot about electronics. But in the last 20 years, they lost their way and tried to be something they're not. Never mind that upper management was always so incompetent that their solution to everything was another store remodeling that affected nothing.
 
You & me both, brother. I used to live in those stores during the 70-80's, always buying stuff to build and tinker with. Learned a lot about electronics. But in the last 20 years, they lost their way and tried to be something they're not. Never mind that upper management was always so incompetent that their solution to everything was another store remodeling that affected nothing.[I/QUOTE]

I am 'same same' as we say here in Thailand. I had just about every one of their electronics kits, speakers (but unfortunately too poor for the big 15" ones), scanners, cassette tapes, antennas, and a ship-weight of batteries.

I too felt like 'make-overs' were for girls, and that RadioShack just needed better guidance. I thought it would have been better run by a local ham-radio club. It could have been a focal point for us hams getting our components, and given the club link, provided more of a sense of community for the store, instead of yet another strip-mall store.

You can't get a 2N3053 at Walmart / ASDA....

Peace.
 
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