In Japan, began testing the world's fastest passenger train-bullet Alfa-X

This week, the Japanese railway companyJR East introduced the new high-speed bullet train Alfa-X, capable of reaching a maximum speed of 400 kilometers per hour, which promises to make it the fastest commercial passenger train in the world. According to the portal Ars Technica, with daily operation, the train will transport passengers at a speed of 360 kilometers per hour. This Friday, JR East conducted the first Alfa-X test without passengers on board.

The portal Bloomberg reports that Alfa-Xof the 10 cars in the test phase over the next three years will make "one night run between the cities of Aomori and Sendai." JR East itself hopes to be able to “put Alfa-X on commercial rails” by 2030. According to the local Japanese news agency Japan News, in the future the route of the bullet train is expected to extend to the city of Sapporo.

So long time to enterThe new bullet train from JR East can be exploited by its competitors by launching its high-speed train options, which will be even faster than Alfa-X, at Shinkansen (high-speed rail network in Japan for transporting passengers between major cities of the country).

According to the same Bloomberg, the palmThe most high-speed trains in Japan may soon intercept magnetic trains, the line for which is currently being built between Tokyo and Nagoya. It is going to open in 2027. However, the newspaper notes, for such trains, special closed tunnel lines are necessary. Due to this, such trains will be able to reach a maximum speed of 505 kilometers per hour.

Ars Technica recalls that many startupsThey are working to bring the so-called Hyperloop vacuum trains to the market, also using magnetic cushion technology, which in theory allows them to reach speeds of over 1000 kilometers per hour. True, since Ilon Mask introduced this concept in 2013, few companies around the world have been able to demonstrate serious progress in the development of this concept by presenting real prototypes of capsules capable of moving at very high speeds inside closed vacuum tunnels. For example, one such test line was built next to Las Vegas by Virgin Hyperloop One. During the last tests inside a 300-meter tunnel, the prototype Hyperloop capsule was able to accelerate to a speed of 387 kilometers per hour.

Virgin Hyperloop Marketing ManagerOne Ryan Kelly in correspondence with journalists Ars Technica said that "the commercial version of the capsule will be able to move at a speed at least twice as high as was shown in the tests."

Alfa-X train bullet driver's cab

As for the new bullet train Alfa-X, the carIt has a very streamlined design. The length of the bow of the train is 22 meters. This was done specifically to reduce the level of wind resistance. Bloomberg also reports that in addition to the usual braking system, the train will be equipped with “air brakes, as well as special magnetic plates to reduce speed”. According to JR East, the Alfa-X train-bullet and the cars will be equipped with high-tech shock absorbers to prevent rocking the train, especially during earthquakes.

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