Japan's MagLev Breaks Own Speed Record

Yahoo News ^

[Rebel_Ace]

TOKYO - A magnetically levitated Japanese train raced to a new record Tuesday, topping its own record set just last month.

The experimental maglev set the world's top speed for a train, clocking 361 mph in a test run in Yamanashi Prefecture (state), west of Tokyo, Central Japan Railway Co., which is carrying out the experiments, said in a statement.

Maglev trains differ from conventional trains in that magnets lift them slightly off the track, eliminating speed-reducing friction and reducing noise. (they also cost about 100 times as much)

The maglev is part of a government-financed project to develop faster trains for a country that is already home to some of the world's speediest. Central Japan Railway Co., part of the former state-run railway, is jointly developing the maglev with Japan's Railway Technology Research Institute.

Germany has developed a maglev train (for China, and they dropped out of it, too d#@n costly), and the United States also is planning one. (at a cost of 10 bucks a person in the country for only 50 miles of track)

(italics are my own comments)

[Rebel_Ace]

[nwrep]

Awesome, dude. You are talented.

[Tredge]

Monorail! (Monorail?) Monorail!!!

[Rebel_Ace]

"Awesome, dude. You are talented."

Thanks, your check is in the mail.

[anymouse]

Too bad we didn't have these cool graphics for the Houston Metro-rail election.

[Rebel_Ace]

"Too bad we didn't have these cool graphics for the Houston Metro-rail election."

Sorry. If it is of any help, feel free to copy them if there is an upcoming bond issue to support the Houston Metro. I imagine that it will not be self-sustaining just from passenger fare revenues.

[anymouse]

Thanks but the Metro-Rail cabal conned enough Houston voters to approve their costly plan. Our only hope now is to elect Republican Orlando Sanchez as Houston's mayor, to appoint conservative Metro board members to reverse this financial nightmare in the making.