Train of the Week

By Hisagi - 投稿者自身による作品 , CC 表示-継承 4.0 , Link Hyperloop seems to be all the hype these days. Given the progress in its development, it's about time we can call it for what it is (as far as a "new" invention goes). I won't directly address it, however. Instead, here is another system, currently under construction, that will serve as a case study to the rest of the world on the mass adoption of maglev technology. CC BY-SA 3.0 , Link Formally called the Chūō Shinkansen , the new central mainline in Japan is fundamentally different than the high-speed lines that come before it. It utilizes the SCMaglev , or Super Condicting Magnetic-levitation, technology that has been under development since 1962. The SCMaglev uses one of the three principal implementations of magnetic levitation, called EDS , or Electro Dynamic Suspension. The other two consist of EMS (Electro Magmetic Suspension), used by Transrapid, and Inductrack System (Permanent Magnet Passive Suspension...

So this week, the world speed record has been refreshed again by the Japanese Shinkansen Series L0 (a maglev train) for the 2nd time in 2 weeks. The 7-car L0 achieved 590 km/h (367 mph) last week, on 16 April, and a whopping (not that 590 wasn't fast enough but pffft, it was only in the 500s) 603 km/h (375 mph) on this Tuesday, 21 April. Wow. " JR Central SCMaglev L0 Series Shinkansen 201408081002 " by Hisagi - Own work . Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Why not keep the SD40 theme of late going again. I like looking up different locomotives all over the world and have them turn up being something familiar. I guess it just goes to show that although we have a long way to catch to the rest of the world in passenger rail due to certain lifestyle choices, but we are still quite influential in the freight world of things. It’s indeed somewhat difficult to go around the world and not find American Locomotive Company and General Motors locomotives in one form or another. So the SD40 of this week is a derivation of the SD40-2, known as the British Rail Class 59, aka JT26CW-SS by EMD. She’s got a low and narrow car body with a control cab at each end. A 16-645E3C sits at heart. Purchased by Mendip Rail in 1984, the Class 59 was the first American locomotive and first privately owned locomotive to command freight trains on the British mainlines. The locomotive proved very effective and reliable, about 10 years after Mendip Rail’s order, Natio...

Dear readers, Here is a little picture compilation from trips I've taken on rails this year. Hope you have also had the chance to enjoy some train rides. If you have an online photo album that you like to share, please post the link in the comment section. Thank you for visiting Train of the Week. Happy holidays!

Japan is one of the only two countries that has been consistently developing and testing trains using magnetic levitation technology.  I do not understand the principles of physics behind maglev any better than you do (however, if you are interested in reading about it, you may start from here ), but one of the Japanese Maglev trains is still very well worth talking about, as the MLX01-901, introduced in 2002, has set the world speed record for trains in 2003 with a stunning speed of 581 km/h (361 mph).  The MLX01 is developed by Central Japan Railway Company and the Railway Technical Research Institute and first introduced in 1996.  Japan has been developing Maglev trains since 1969. " JR MLX01-1 001 " by Daylight9899 - Own work . Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons . Unlike the German Maglev system which uses conventional electromagnets, the Japanese system uses super-cooled, superconductors to propel its trains.  As a result of the Electrodyna...