Just a month ago, Chinese engineers revealed that they were working on a new generation of high-speed trains that could reach a max speed of 500 km/h, however, that goal has been surpassed by CRRC Corp, China's largest rail transportation equipment maker, who has said that it has started research and development of a maglev train that could reach 600 km/h, far faster than anything else in operation today. A maglev is a type of track that uses magnets to "levitate" the train above the track, greatly reducing its friction and resistance, allowing the trains to reach previously unimaginable speeds. Recently, Japan broke its own speed record with a maglev that topped out at 603 km/h, but the commercial viability of these trains is still a long way away, with concerns about the cost of building lengthy maglev tracks. CRRC also announced plans to develop maglev trains that travel at just 200 km/h, hoping to provide a more energy conscious choice to high-speed transport around the globe, as well as trains that can run at 400 km/h and alternate between different track gauges.
These advancements remind me of the industrial revolution, when great strides in transportation were made. The steam engine revolutionized the world, making travel easier, even for it's time. Now, in the modern age, we have not only high speed transportation, allowing us to be anywhere in the world in a matter of hours, but also the internet, which removed many of the more mundane needs people had for travel. These two rapidly advancing areas of technology are quickly making the world a much smaller place.
http://shanghaiist.com/2016/10/24/faster_maglev.php
Your analysis was very thought out and yeah, our technology sure does come in handy. -Jada Brown
ReplyDeleteThese types of advancements are so amazing. Its fun to think about what transportation will be like in the next 20-30 years. The possibilities of faster transport could reduce the amount of cars on the road, and would leave you with more time at your destination.
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