We knew the Chinese were serious about doing this whole high-speed railway thing, but we had no idea they were this serious. As Engadget reports, researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University are currently putting together a prototype maglev train that can average a speed of 500 to 600 kilometers-per-hour (310 to 372 mph), as well as a second, smaller train that will reportedly top out at a handsome 1,000 kph (621 mph). The underground train, which will run through a frictionless vacuum tube, is expected to be completed within just two to three years. Of course, all this Chinese speed won’t come for free. Early estimates show that each kilometer of the tunnel will cost nearly $3 million more than the country’s current high-speed rails, meaning that the government will need about $118 billion to lay down 6,000 kilometers of track over the next two years. It’s a hefty price tag, for sure, but, as long as the investment can put a dent in China’s grotesque pollution cloud, it certainly seems worth it. [From: Engadget and Bloomberg]

China’s Proposed Maglev Train Will Reach Speeds of 1,000 kph originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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