China's newest high-speed train - World's fastest passenger train set world record 2011
Beijing: China's newest high-speed train - the "CRH380A" - broke the world record for the fastest passenger-capable train on Friday during an operational test, the Chinese Ministry of Railroads claimed.
The test was broadcast live by state broadcaster CCTV.
The train was measured to have hit a maximum speed of 486.1 kilometres per hour on special tracks between the Zaozhuang city and Bengbu to the south, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The track is a segment of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line China hopes to have operational by July 2011.
The Beijing-Shanghai line, once completed, is anticipated to bring the travel time between the two cities down under five hours, making the train faster than flying in practical terms since distant suburban airport locations, security and boarding times add to the two and a half hour flight.
It reached the top speed on a segment of the 824-mile (1,318-kilometer) -long line between Zaozhuang city in Shandong province and Bengbu city in Anhui province, Xinhua said
The new world record was accomplished during the test run for a train called the CRH380A, just months after another train of the same model broke records after achieving a top speed of 416.6 kilmometers per hour.
Record breaker: The CRH380A train smashes another speed record after the same model broke previous in September
Record breaker: The CRH380A train smashes another speed record after the same model broke previous in September.
Yet despite breaking two records since September railway officials say they want to reach speeds over 312mph (500kpm)
The new line is due to open in 2012 and will halve the current travel time between the capital Beijing and Shanghai to five hours.
The project costs $32.5 billion and is part of a massive government effort to link many of China's cities by high-speed rail and also reduce overcrowding on heavily used lines.
The drive to develop high-speed rail technology rivals China's space program in terms of national pride and importance.
China already has the world's longest high-speed rail network, and it plans to cover 8,125 miles (13,000 kilometers) by 2012 and 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) by 2020.
Yet despite the impressive speeds other types of trains have gone faster.
A specially modified French TGV train reached 357.2 mph (574.8 kph) during a 2007 test, while a Japanese magnetically levitated train sped to 361 mph (581 kph) in 2003.
Beijing: China's newest high-speed train - the "CRH380A" - broke the world record for the fastest passenger-capable train on Friday during an operational test, the Chinese Ministry of Railroads claimed.
The test was broadcast live by state broadcaster CCTV.
The train was measured to have hit a maximum speed of 486.1 kilometres per hour on special tracks between the Zaozhuang city and Bengbu to the south, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The track is a segment of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed rail line China hopes to have operational by July 2011.
The Beijing-Shanghai line, once completed, is anticipated to bring the travel time between the two cities down under five hours, making the train faster than flying in practical terms since distant suburban airport locations, security and boarding times add to the two and a half hour flight.
It reached the top speed on a segment of the 824-mile (1,318-kilometer) -long line between Zaozhuang city in Shandong province and Bengbu city in Anhui province, Xinhua said
The new world record was accomplished during the test run for a train called the CRH380A, just months after another train of the same model broke records after achieving a top speed of 416.6 kilmometers per hour.
Record breaker: The CRH380A train smashes another speed record after the same model broke previous in September
Record breaker: The CRH380A train smashes another speed record after the same model broke previous in September.
Yet despite breaking two records since September railway officials say they want to reach speeds over 312mph (500kpm)
The new line is due to open in 2012 and will halve the current travel time between the capital Beijing and Shanghai to five hours.
The project costs $32.5 billion and is part of a massive government effort to link many of China's cities by high-speed rail and also reduce overcrowding on heavily used lines.
The drive to develop high-speed rail technology rivals China's space program in terms of national pride and importance.
China already has the world's longest high-speed rail network, and it plans to cover 8,125 miles (13,000 kilometers) by 2012 and 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) by 2020.
Yet despite the impressive speeds other types of trains have gone faster.
A specially modified French TGV train reached 357.2 mph (574.8 kph) during a 2007 test, while a Japanese magnetically levitated train sped to 361 mph (581 kph) in 2003.
