Maglev (chuo shinkansen) breaks speed record

[bikkuri bahn]

Not much coverage in the domestic media, perhaps they are waiting for the results of the test on the 21st of this month (next Tuesday).

 

CENTRAL Japan Railway Company (JR Central) set a new maglev world speed record on April 16, when a manned seven-car L0 series train reached 590km/h on the company's test track between Uenohara and Fuefuki in Yamanashi prefecture.

 

The train sustained 590km/h for 19 seconds to surpass the record of 581km/h set on the Yamanashi Test Track in December 2003.

 

 

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/high-speed/japan-breaks-maglev-speed-record.html

[kvp]

Imho +9 km/h can be achived by selecting lighter seats and passengers and doing the tests before dinner. :) The only news is that the set was 7 cars long and not 1 or 2, meaing the power supply systems were upgraded. What most people really want to see is wheter this technology will be put into use or not. Considering the original main terminal area for the maglev network in Tokyo will be built in with residential/office skycrapers indicates that the construction of a larger network won't happen in the near future or not in a way as everyone expected it.

[tossedman]

Cool. Now who's going to make an N scale maglev?

[cteno4]

Getting close!

 

http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/13/high-speed-maglev-toys/

 

http://www.evico.de/en/magnetic-bearings/model-railway-and-demo-kits/

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ASLhAxfzk

 

Big issue will the the turn radius!

 

Jeff

[kvp]

You can cheat with the curves and make them wider (the distance of the walls bigger). As long as the walls don't have magnets this will work. The guidance can be solved with friction steering like in the Tomix prototype or with guidance magnets in the running surface.

 

My only problem is the lack of real and in service 1:1 prototype in Japan except that ancient test track.

[Densha]

I'll just leave this here...

 

[katoftw]

Cleaver but crude.  I like how they went tram style and hide the rails.  Guessing a 700 or N700 was used.  Or similar.

[HantuBlauLOL]

You could use a Mini 4WD style wall wheels for the curve to avoid body damage, if you made a real functioning one.

 

 

Like those on front and rear bumper on this car.

Edited April 19, 2015 by HantuBlauLOL

[ToniBabelony]

YOOOOOOOOO! http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20150421-00000013-mai-soci

 

603 kph!

 

...

 

603!!!

 

Edited April 21, 2015 by Toni Babelony

[bikkuri bahn]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/21/japans-maglev-train-notches-up-new-world-speed-record-in-test-run

[Densha]

That's about 167 meters per second. 0_0

[marknewton]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/21/japans-maglev-train-notches-up-new-world-speed-record-in-test-run

I cannot believe the stupidity of some of the comments...

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

[Guest ___]

I first heard of it of all places, AnimeNewsNetwork. So, much for my direct media access in to Rueters and Kyodo. (And, ANN just reposted it from RocketNews24).

 

Personally, IMHO, maglev is just this century's monorail, and aside from a few airports, and the Chuo Project, doubt maglev is going to be the future of rail transport.

 

I applaud Japan's commitment with the Chuo project but still wonder why given the costs and time frame for the project why they are even doing this aside from national pride and bragging rights to say they could, given the realities of the declining population.

 

And if JR Tokai some how manage to convince Amtrak to build one along the NEC, I'll tear up my NARP card and can my membership.

 

Trains have wheels dammit! Again, just my opinion. And get off my lawn you damn kids!

[Guest ___]

You could use a Mini 4WD style wall wheels for the curve to avoid body damage, if you made a real functioning one.

 

 

Like those on front and rear bumper on this car.

 

Never work. Built a $50 special custom that has both forward and rear, upper and lower stabilizers and it's always flying off the track on the first turn :) Then again, I got banned from racing it cause I was using a Titanium AA battery which made it too light in competition. But, I did manage to break a speed record on the one time it didn't fly off the track.

[HantuBlauLOL]

Big front and rear spoilers would work I think, just like what real world racers do. They used fins at the front bumper though.

 

Same goes with the maglev, it needs a huge downforce to keep it on the track. But instead a spoiler, they made the nose like that, giving a downforce at high speed.

[kvp]

If a train is a proper maglev, then you can turn it upside down and it will stay the set distance from the tracks. The only problem is getting the air out of the way that won't damage linesidestuff and won't compress under the train.

 

Down force is only needed for stuff using traction like wheeled stuff. For maglevs they have guide magnets, while trains have rails and cars can use proper wheels for better turn stability. Spoilers are good but the angle and the resulting direction of force is important. On the chicago network, some rapid trains used spoilers to keep their pantos up at high speeds, while some racecars also use them for horizontal steering.

[stevenh]

I got bored and followed the track on Google Maps... it's not the easiest to find if you don't know what you're looking for:

http://modelrail.otenko.com/japanese-trains/chuo-shinkansen-hits-603kmh

 

Turns out Bing Maps beats Yahoo Maps Japan. Google is a close second...

 

... and on that note, does anyone know of better satellite imagery for Japan?

Edited April 23, 2015 by stevenh

[Robert46]

Hi All,

 

This is just my opinion, the Maglev design made its possible to achieve the speed record breaking because indeed it has a long nose which produce big downforce in regards to aerodynamic, it's also giving the air flow went through the better streamline... just like F1 cars which have a long nose too... and this also avoids the train from running off track..

 

However, I never imagine that a vehicle with very high speed making long turn... just compare to the 700kph bullet electric car tested on the desert Bonneville Salt Flats on Utah, US around 2013, it should go straight with no turning to achieve that speed...

otherwise, accident might happen..

 

But what's interesting is the technology of magnetic levitation which produced this very high speed and at the same time provide the magnetic field which tied the trains strongly to the track... and this also can be the reason the maglev can make long turning safely at any speed level...

 

While for making N gauge model, maybe the point to point track layout is the best possible way instead of loop track..

 

Cheers..

Edited April 23, 2015 by Robert46

[cteno4]

I believe the long nose is mainly for the noise reduction when entering and leaving tunnels. With mag lev speeds and it's heavy reliance on tunnels it's even more of an extreme case! Shinkansen noses have been an evolution speaking to quiet these tunnel booms and look very similar to the mag lev now.

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

I think lack of friction is more to do with speed than the nose.

[Robert46]

I believe the long nose is mainly for the noise reduction when entering and leaving tunnels. With mag lev speeds and it's heavy reliance on tunnels it's even more of an extreme case! Shinkansen noses have been an evolution speaking to quiet these tunnel booms and look very similar to the mag lev now.

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

 

I agree with you.. Since the magnetic field is enough to tie the train to track strongly, therefore the downforce can be a less attention to deal with.. however downforce is still important point to consider..

 

And for tunnel booms, I think we should consider that Shinkansen are still using wheels which making contacts with the rails causing big noise.. while on the maglev, there is no contact of the legs/bogies to the track.. It's "flying" above the rails, the magnetic field is an advantage for this.. Maybe the cars body movement is the main reason creating noise.. and yes, as you said long nose pack was designed to solve the problem..  :) as it's been applied on shinkansen.. cheers..

[kvp]

however downforce is still important point to consider..

 

Yes, as it should be eliminated as much as possible. Any force that is trying to unalign the train from the magnets is bad for the power consumption. The best shape for force reduction considering the shape of the track would be a rounded wedge.

 

And for tunnel booms, I think we should consider that Shinkansen are still using wheels which making contacts with the rails causing big noise.. 

 

Tunnel booms are caused by the air in the tunnel being compressed by the train as it moves through. One solution is to make the tunnels with a 100% larger cross section than the train (aka. build a double track tunnel), but this can cause crosswind problems when trains meet in the tunnel. Another is to install pressure relief channels with noise dampers at each entry and exit. This is the german way and the third, japanese way is to use special noses to direct most of the air and noise upwards. This has the added benefit of also working on open air in built up areas where the train runs between noise barriers or in case of the maglev, in a channel.

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

The big issue with tunnel entries and exits are the changes in air pressure. This is what the long, low noses help dissipate the pressure change with out the boom. It's nothing to do with having wheels or no wheels.

 

While at super high speeds some downward force may be needed, I doubt it's the primary reason for the nose shape. These are not light vehicles like race cars who need that extra force to keep them down as they also have the magnetic track to help mediate this. You actually don't want much downward force as it just drains the energy from the levitation system. The optimal would actually be for air going under the car to help levitate it and overcome the weight of the train at speed. This is why I believe the nose is pretty much all designed for the noise abation as even at 200-300kph this is a big problem and just so much worse at 600kph.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[Robert46]

Tunnel booms are caused by the air in the tunnel being compressed by the train as it moves through. One solution is to make the tunnels with a 100% larger cross section than the train (aka. build a double track tunnel), but this can cause crosswind problems when trains meet in the tunnel. Another is to install pressure relief channels with noise dampers at each entry and exit. This is the german way and the third, japanese way is to use special noses to direct most of the air and noise upwards. This has the added benefit of also working on open air in built up areas where the train runs between noise barriers or in case of the maglev, in a channel.

 

Hi kvp,

 

Nice post. Good input for me. :) Thanks..

 

Robert,

 

The big issue with tunnel entries and exits are the changes in air pressure. This is what the long, low noses help dissipate the pressure change with out the boom. It's nothing to do with having wheels or no wheels.

 

While at super high speeds some downward force may be needed, I doubt it's the primary reason for the nose shape. These are not light vehicles like race cars who need that extra force to keep them down as they also have the magnetic track to help mediate this. You actually don't want much downward force as it just drains the energy from the levitation system. The optimal would actually be for air going under the car to help levitate it and overcome the weight of the train at speed. This is why I believe the nose is pretty much all designed for the noise abation as even at 200-300kph this is a big problem and just so much worse at 600kph.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

 

Thanks for your correction.. :) my thought is when the wheels make contact with rails, it will produce big noise when the train moving.. whether it is in an open air or inside the tunnel.. But your concept about changes of air pressure is more make sense and better in regards to nose shape design.. :)

[cteno4]

Robert,

 

I'm sure wheel and rail noise is also an increasing issue with speed, but I'v not heard a lot on that with the faster trains lately. Perhaps someone here knows something on this. Pantograph noise, in the last decade, has been worked on and talked about as things reached 300kph+ with traditional shinkansens. With the mag lev all the noise issues are going to be aerodynamic issues at speed!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff