China Shows Off New World’s Fastest Bullet Train
They’re speeding toward a faster future in China, thanks to a new model of high-speed bullet train. Over the weekend, state-owned rail operator China State Railway Group unveiled a prototype for its CR450 train, which it claims will be the fastest commercial high-speed railcar in the world.
As reported by the South China Morning Post, the CR450 will be able to reach peak speeds as high as 280mph (450km/h) and will have a top commercial operating speed of 250mph (400km/h). For comparison’s sake, the state’s rail operator’s current CR400 trains operate at about 220mph (350km/h). The CR450 will be able to complete the 700-mile journey from Beijing to Shanghai in about 2.5 hours, according to state-owned news organization Yicai Global.
©This photo shows the driving cab of the CR450BF bullet train in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]While the CR450 is still in the prototype stage, producing a train capable of those top speeds is a technological and engineering achievement. According to a press release from the Chinese government, the CR450 will weigh 10% less than its predecessors and will lower operational resistance—the force needed to move the train—by 22%. The train’s bogie enclosure—the framework that covers the wheels—can reduce air resistance at faster speeds, and a “low-drag, sharp-nosed front” and aerodynamic windshields help the CR450 maintain its peak acceleration.
