The MLX01

Speed Record:	550km/h or 344mph

Introduction

Above: The Yamanashi Guidway for the MLX01

The 42.8km (26.6mile) long Maglev line in Japan called the Yamanashi test line is where the MLX01 is tested. The line was opened in 1996 and with the aim to explore the feasability of maglev trains. This is one of two test lines in Japan, the other called Miyazaki. This is toward the ultimate realization of the Maglev Chuo Shinkansen Line. It was build to test and confirm several things such as miniumum radius curve and steepest gradient and to confirm things such as confortable running at 500km/h (310mph).

Speed Record

The speed attained of 550km/h (344mph) in January 1998 with the MLX01 set a new world speed record. This is very significant because it is the first time a Maglev has out performed conventional steel rail trains, since the fastest conventional train achieved 515km/h (320mph) in 1991 by the French TGV Atlantique. Although the maglev is not sigifigantly faster it does imply that maglev trains are now ready for very high speed travel. Having said that, since the TGV's record is 7 years old now, if ran today with more modern trains such as the Thalys (built 1996) it is very possible the TGV could set a new record beating the maglev one. It is unlikely to happen soon since it requires a long stretch of empty high speed line, which is only usually possible before commercial operation begins (ie just after a line is built).

The MLX01

Above: The Aerodynamic brakes on the MLX01

This test vehicle is one of a few built after other test vhicles. ML stands for maglev, and X for experimental. It inludes features on other test vehicles such as aerodynamic braking as a backup system should there be a failure. The train is 3 cars long with two head cars. The head cars are designed in two styles: double cusp and aero-wedge, to minimize aerodynamic resistance in high-speed run. And in anticipation of test riding both head cars are provided with seating space. The seating capacity is 46 for the first head car as with the central and 30 for the other head car. This was the first maglev vehicle to run on the new track, other vehicles dating back to the 1960s ran on the Miyazaki Maglev Test Track, this is the proper high speed one since the Miyazaki was just trying to establish a working maglev train more than anything.

See Also

• All about maglev trains
• The Transrapid Project

Realted links:

• The Japanese Research Institute - the official site of the experimentalists.

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