colnagoboy
Japanese Maglev is equipped with superconductor for its levitation, whereas German Transrapid levitates with electromagnetic technology.
Slowburn
If I am going that fast I want wings.
Mel Tisdale
@colnagoboy
Superconducting and electromagnetic technologies are not mutually exclusive.
Grunt
Presumably powerful magnetic fields are involved and, presumably, train and contents sit in these powerful magnetic fields throughout the journey. So, a couple or so questions spring to mind...
1. What, if any, is the effect on people with heart monitors and other implanted electronic gizmos?
2. Are all the passengers' credit cards going to be "wiped" out" before they get to their destination?
3. Are any hard drives amongst passengers' belongings going to be wiped? 4. Has anybody conducted long term tests on humans immersed in powerful magnetic fields for several hours at a time?
One assumes that all electronic components built into the train are screened, but that is hardly going to be the case for passengers and their possessions.
No doubt there are many other questions that will need satisfactory answers before we all climb aboard.
Robert Walther
This guy 'Grunt' has nailed it! If only these mega-projects would do testing before releasing their unsafe devices. His 'four' concerns were all first tested prior to WWII at the latest. Since then the amount of continuing testing for his 'questions' has covered every conceivable realistic variation and an equally large number of fantastically unlikely scenarios.
Expanded Viewpoint
Yes, what indeed ARE the downsides to riding in a pulsating magnetic field of unknown strength and frequency? Each time a coil is transitioned, there will be some kind of wave produced, be it sine, square or saw tooth, will it affect our body in any way? What about pregnant/nursing women or infants? It seems like the electronic recording devices survived the short trip according to the video, but what about long term exposures?
Randy
Pat Pending
Slowburn; your wings are electro-magnets providing lift. Really very safe.
Speaking as a pilot though I completely agree with you, I've often said if you want to exceed 100 MPH you should be airborne :-}
Robert Fallin
Five hundred kpm? Big deal. Maglev capsules in a vacuum could do 6500 kpm. Unfortunately the powers that be and media such as GIZMAG ignores the technology.
Cyndysub
Sorry no gold stars yet. We can do much better than that. Build a tube for the train and put a vacuum on the sealed tube and have an express route only on this system and the speeds would within reason be virtuously limitless. Zero friction in a vacuum.
Freyr Gunnar
Although technically interesting, are maglev trains the new Concord?
Besides, how can Japan spend so much money while 1) it already has fast enough train, 2) the country is so deep into debt, and 3) its population declining?