China unveiled the world's fastest train, which topped out at around 235 miles per hour. Now, less than a year later, the People's Republic has broken its own record with a Shanghai bullet train that can reach speeds of up to 258.86 miles per hour.
The new train, which made its record-breaking debut on Tuesday, will begin its regular run between Shanghai and Hangzhou next month, covering a distance of roughly 125 miles. According to the International Business Times, the train is expected to shed a full 40 minutes off of the time usually required to make the trip, and will hum along at an average speed of roughly 217 miles per hour. Remarkable as the achievement may be, the bullet train concept hasn't been too popular in China, primarily because of its high fares and frequent stops.
As PopSci points out, this Chinese train may have set the world record for high speed train travel, but the world record for conventional train travel is still held by the French TGV train, which reached speeds of up to 357 miles per hour. Technicalities aside, China's most recent feat only underscores the country's die-hard devotion to high-speed railway initiatives.
China already boasts over 4,300 miles worth of high-speed rails -- more than any other country -- and the Chinese government has already devoted substantial sums of money to expanding and improving its network even further. While the country may still have more persistent domestic issues to resolve, its railway infrastructure, at least, seems to be top notch.
It's the fastest thing on land with a "Made in China" label — a bullet train that speeds past unfinished suburbs and broken farmhouses at nearly 200 mph between Beijing and Shanghai in a blur of national pride.
Opened to the public Thursday, the landmark line connects China's two biggest cities and is meant to showcase the country's innovative muscle and give the Chinese Communist Party a shot of legitimacy as it celebrates its 90th birthday.
References:
http://www.switched.com/2010/09/30/chinas-bullet-train-sets-world-record-for-high-speed-train-trav/
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