China 'Ready to Lead World on Vacuum Train'Will Clem and Stephen Chen
South China Morning Post
CHINA - Mainland railway experts believe China is ready to test the world's first prototype "vacuum train" - capable of speeds of more than 1,000km/h and possibly ready for commercial operations within a decade.
Researchers at the National Power Traction Laboratory of Southwest Jiaotong University told the Beijing-based Legal Evening News testing would begin on an initial prototype running at 600km/h to 1,000km/h within "two to three years".
The story was later posted on the central government's main website.
At present, the US and Switzerland are the only countries known to be investigating the transport system, meaning China could become a world leader in the field.
Professor Shen Zhiyun , a key member of the lab's research team, told the newspaper conventional high-speed trains could not go faster than 400km/h without excessive noise and vibration - problems the vacuum train could circumvent. ..........(more)
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