Rarely do we push the brake pedal and stop talking about cars, but when we do, it’s for a good reason. This post relates to one of those moments when technology and the transportation industry partner up and create beauty. Of Japan’s super-fast trains based on superconducting maglev technology, we’re sure you heard before. But what if you could have a functional scale model in your living room?
Well, you can. It will cost you $460 and some good dose of patience, considering you’ll need to wait until September 18, but you’ll receive a true joyride. This toy floats 2mm above the tracks using magnetic repulsion, just like the actual Central Japan Railway’s L0 superconducting Maglev train does in real life. This technology allows it to run faster than previous toy trains, which is just perfect considering speed is what we’re all looking for these days.
Still not convinced? What if we told that speed sensors and voice announcements complement the Linear Liner as it hovers and races over the tracks, which includes a train station, bridge and tunnel?
Now, the speedometer on the side will show you 500 km/h (310 mph) but we all know that the speed record is bigger than that.
Leaving the toy world for a second aside, we’ll take a short look back at what happened earlier this year. Then, Japan proved they have the fastest magnetically levitated train. It ran at the speed of 603 km/h (374 mph), an impressive mark achieved by the Series L0 which was operated by the Central Japan Railway Company on the Yamanashi Maglev Line, on April 21. The line is currently under development, and the company was running some speed tests on it.
However, as most of the cool things that make us feel good, there’s also a downside to this super-fast train. It may be the quickest in the world, but the company will never use it to its utmost performance once the commercial line will be ready. They have projected that the trains will operate at a maximum speed of 505 km/h (313 mph).
