Maglev Magic
Trip Start
Jun 23, 2007
1
11
Trip End
Jul 25, 2007
I decided to splurge on a black market train ticket to Shanghai. One reason: the Maglev train. Shanghai has the world's only commercially operated maglev train, whisking tourists 30km (18.6 miles) to the airport in just 7 minutes 20 seconds and achieving a top velocity of 431 km/h or 268 mph. It was worth the trip. I have this semi-obsession with trains, especially fast ones. It started when I rode the Japanese bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo at age 12. Then I had a short but equally sweet ride on the TGV in France several years ago. But none came close to equaling the thrill of the maglev. "Maglev" or Magnetic levitation transport, is a form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electromagnetic force (thank you Wikipedia). Essentially the train and the tracks are opposing magnetic forces, like two fridge magnets. Because the two repulsive magnetic fields cause the train to "float" above the tracks, there is no friction resulting in an incredibly smooth and very fast ride As the train accelerates, the world outside becomes an impressionist blur. On a journey revolving around train travel, it was a helluva way to complete the trip!
