650 km/h in seven seconds

Next August 17 years of the Beijing Olympic Games will be completed. Games that served the country, as always in this type of events, to sell to the rest of the world. But in the Chinese case it also served to modernize the infrastructure of the country and project the image that we were attending the definitive launch of a new superpower.

One of those hallmarks was the launch of the first high -speed line In the country. China opened its first high -speed rail line, then 120 kilometers between Beijin and Taijin. By then, in Spain we had been enjoying high speed 16 years, from the AVE Madrid-Sevilla from 1992. Japan did the same since 1964 when Tokyo’s Olympic Games also promoted The high speed network.

17 years after those first 120 kilometers, China is The country of the world with more kilometers of high -speed roads. They are followed by Spain and Japan. The country has passed through the right to those who were the great referents in the sector. And not only that, promises for the future are still surprising.

A MAGLEV at 650 km/h

While the country continues to expand its roads, the next great expected milestone is at the very high speed they can get with their trains. And the evidence tells us that they are on the right track. Or, at least, that they begin to have enough technology to position themselves at a little less level than unattainable.

Just a few days ago, in the tests with your Maglev more advanced managed to reach 650 km/h in seven seconds In your laboratory. But the very high figure is not the only striking thing.

From China they say that to reach this speed They barely needed 600 meters. The acceleration and detention capacity of the train is brutal because the test tunnel barely measures 1,000 meters. A ridiculous distance with the usual tests that are performed in high speed, with roads that extend for tens of kilometers. AND The promise is to reach 800 km/h as maximum speed.

To get to this point, China also wants to be the undisputed queen of the Maglev. These trains work by magnetic levitation. The train travels just over the road, taking advantage of a magnet system that keeps it on the railroad but that allows it to move without generating friction on it. This allows Magleb reach such high speeds.

For the moment, The fastest maglev in the world It reaches 431 km/Hy is in operation in the railroad that unites Beijing and Shanghai. Yes, the same that has managed to put the airlines in check because Your 1,300 kilometers journey just lasts four hours.

For years, China and Japan live their particular space career. Japan has managed to exceed 600 km/h In experienced evidence but China is still ahead.

The big challenge now is make useful trains that can move at this speed, to seek commercial viability to them and, above all, provide them with the necessary infrastructure. For example, The tunnels have a problem To travel at such high speeds because within them the train itself creates so high pressures that they can be annoying for passengers and, above all, compromise trains’ safety.

Problem that China may be willing to save if it is about showing financial muscle and work capacity. If you don’t believe it, Danyang-Kunshan’s big bridgewhere the high -speed line between Beijing and Shanghai circulates, it is a good example of this with its more than 160 kilometers long.

Photo | Chinese State Agency

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