science & techWikipedia2003 · Shanghai, China

A Shanghai train floated above its track at 501 km/h, a record still unbroken for commercial rail

the gist

On 12 November 2003 the Shanghai Transrapid reached 501 km/h (311 mph), a record that remains the fastest for an unmodified commercial railway vehicle. The line, which connects Pudong International Airport to Longyang Road station, was the world's first commercial high-speed maglev. The technology came from Transrapid, a joint venture of ThyssenKrupp and Siemens. Until May 2021 the service ran at up to 431 km/h, but the current maximum is 300 km/h.

how it works

Magnets on the train and in the guideway lift the train a few centimetres off the track and also guide it sideways. The track's coils switch polarity to pull and push the train forward, so nothing touches and there is no wheel friction.

so what

Maglev removes wheel friction, so it can go faster and more quietly than conventional rail, but track construction is expensive and not compatible with existing lines. That is why most countries opted for conventional high-speed rail, and why Shanghai's line remains a showcase more than a template.

fun fact

The Shanghai line is not part of the Shanghai Metro and has its own right of way to the airport.

more on this

key facts

Country
People's Republic of China
Located in
Pudong
Height
4 m

Facts: Wikidata (CC0)

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons