China Launches World's Fastest Passenger Train

Raging an exceptional speed capability of 500km (310 miles) per hour,China has successfully launched this Christmas weekend, the fastest speed, so far, as reported by State Media.




The train resembles an ancient Chinese sword and was built by a subsidiary of China South Locomotive & Rolling Stock Corporation Limited (CSR), which is China's largest rail vehicle maker. “The super-speed train design resembled the design of China’s ancient sword. The bodywork uses plastic materials reinforced with carbon fiber,” Ding Sansan, the company’s Chief Technician, said to the agency. This has contributed to reducing the train’s weight at a considerable rate while increasing its speed level.


China kept postponing its plan of launching high speed train fearing the havoc followed by the deadly collision between two super fast trains killing nearly forty people and injuring 210 passengers in July, 2008. However, after the July incident, most of the Chinese trains made by CSR continued to provide service with reduced speeds.




Significantly known as six-car train for its ultra - high speed, the train has a  tractive driving power of 22,800 kilowatts, compared with 9,600 kilowatts for the CRH380 trains, Chinese electric high-speed train developed by CSR running is currently running for Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway with the world’s fastest speed of 300 km per hour. Ongoing plans are in progress to extend the railway route till Hongkong by 2015.




Shen Zhiyun,a locomotive train expert asserted that the current speed of 500 kmph will serve a useful reference for existing high- speed railway operations. However, the CSR chairman Zhao Xiaogang clarified that in future Chinese trains will not run at this speed levels. He added "We aim to ensure the safety of trains operation." However, it is not clear when the train would be made accessible for commercial service.