Japan is building a 43-kilometer-long magnetic levitation train track in a mountain pass to connect Tokyo and Osaka. The train, called the L0, uses superconducting magnets to hover 10 centimeters above the track and travel at 500 kilometers per hour. It has a number of advantages over traditional high-speed trains, including lower maintenance costs and the ability to operate in any weather conditions.
However, the technology is still relatively rare and expensive, with only one commercial high-speed Maglev line currently in operation, a 30-kilometer line in Shanghai. The Japanese line is expected to be the first long-distance high-speed Maglev train, with its first phase connecting Tokyo to Nagoya and expected to open by 2027.
The train uses a unique system of levitation, with magnets onboard the train interacting with passive coils on the track to generate a changing magnetic field that lifts the train upward. The train also uses a linear motor to propel itself, and a system of electric steel shielding to redirect the magnetic field away from the passenger cabins.
The project is a significant investment, with the first stage of the Japanese line expected to cost $77 million per kilometer, compared to $2 million per kilometer for the French high-speed rail. However, the Japanese government believes that the benefits of the technology, including reduced travel time and increased efficiency, justify the cost.
Despite the challenges, the project has the potential to revolutionize transportation in Japan, and could potentially be replicated in other countries.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. A 43-kilometer-long magnetic levitation train track is being built in a Japanese mountain pass.
2. This train track will eventually become part of the world's first inter-city Maglev train, connecting Tokyo and Osaka.
3. The train will use superconducting magnets to hover 10 centimeters above its track and travel at 500 kilometers per hour.
4. The train will operate in any weather conditions and have lower maintenance costs due to reduced friction and fewer moving parts.
5. The only commercial high-speed Maglev line currently in operation is 30 kilometers long, connecting Shanghai Airport to the city.
6. This line takes 8 minutes to travel, equating to an average speed of 225 kilometers per hour.
7. The planned future network of high-speed Maglev tracks is 400 kilometers long, compared to 60,000km of regular high-speed train tracks already in place.
8. There are two primary methods of levitating a train: using attractive forces or repulsive forces.
9. The Japanese Maglev train uses a system with a 10-centimeter gap between the track and train, providing a passively stable method of levitation.
10. The train's coils must be maintained below their critical temperature to ensure their current flows without resistance.
11. The coils are cooled using liquid helium and placed inside a container that is cooled by liquid nitrogen.
12. The coils use a Pulse Tube Refrigerator, which uses sound waves to cool the helium.
13. The train has wheels that drop down when slowing down, but flip into the carriage when reaching 100 km/h.
14. The train's magnetic field is redirected away from the cabin and stations using electric steel shielding.
15. The train's propulsion system uses a linear motor, where alternating coils attract and repel the train with precise timing.
16. The train can brake using regenerative braking, and also features an air brake that can slow the train down at top speeds.
17. The train gets electricity by collecting power from the changing magnetic field from the guiding coils.
18. The Japanese Line is set to be the first long-distance high-speed Maglev train, with its first phase connecting Tokyo to Nagoya and scheduled to open by 2027.
19. The second phase, which will complete the remaining 438 km to Osaka, is expected to be completed a decade later.
20. Japan has been at the forefront of train technology, with the Tokyo to Osaka Shinkansen line opening in 1964 as the world's first high-speed train.
21. Japan began exploring ways to reduce the 4-hour journey to under 1 hour in the 1970s.
22. The Miyazaki test track was built in the 1970s, and the Yamanashi test track began construction in 1990.
23. The Japanese Maglev train has a price tag of 13.7 billion dollars for the first phase.
24. Maglev trains are between 10 and 50 times more expensive than high-speed rail.
25. The French high-speed rail, the TGV, built in the 80s and 90s, cost 2 million dollars per kilometer.
26. The first stage of the Japanese line is set to cost 77 million dollars per km.
27. The Tokyo-Nagoya line is taking a more direct route through mountainous terrain, with 86% of the track underground.
28. Tunneling over 200 km significantly increases costs and operational expenses.
29. The energy usage of the new line will be 30% higher compared to the existing Tokyo-Osaka line.
30. The US is not investing much in high-speed rail, and Maglev systems are even harder to build.