China has unveiled the world’s fastest bullet train

They are speeding towards a faster future in China thanks to a new model of high-speed bullet train. Over the weekend, state-owned railway operator China State Railway Group unveiled a prototype of the CR450 train, which it claims will be the world’s fastest commercial high-speed railcar.

According to the South China Morning Post, the CR450 will be able to reach a top speed of 280mph (450km/h) and a top commercial speed of 250mph (400km/h). By comparison, the state rail operator’s current CR400 trains run at about 220 miles per hour (350 km/h). According to the state news agency, the CR450 will be able to cover the 700 miles from Beijing to Shanghai in about 2.5 hours. Yicai Global.

Although the CR450 is still in the prototype stage, producing this high-speed train is a technological and engineering achievement. according to Chinese government press releaseThe CR450 will weigh 10% less than its predecessors and reduce operating resistance – the force needed to move the train – by 22%. The train’s undercarriage—the frame that surrounds the wheels—can reduce drag at higher speeds, and the “low-drag, sharp-nosed front” and aerodynamic windshields help maintain the CR450’s top speed.

As impressive as the CR450 promises, there’s a difference between being capable of certain speeds and actually achieving them. France’s TGV train In 2007, it hit 357.2 mphthis remains the record for conventional wheeled passenger trains. But in practice, the TGV average speed is about 175 mph. China already operates the world’s fastest commercial trains on several routes regularly hit 217 mph. But to push these high speeds even higher, you need to ensure that the tracks are properly aligned to support it.

According to infrastructure consulting company AECOMthe faster the train is going, the greater the turning radius required to allow the car to turn safely without the need for significant deceleration or serious risk of danger. This radius grows exponentially the faster you go. According to AECOM, a train traveling at 224 miles per hour requires a curve radius of about 6.2 miles to maintain speed. Speed ​​that up to 250 mph and it takes 7 miles to follow the coast without tanking at high speed.

The Chinese government says the CR450 will work.as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, Californians are still waiting for the high-speed rail project — nearly two decades since it was first approved — to produce the first operational passenger service. Hopefully, the trains will be faster than the construction.