Future Train

Future train:
Gauge changeable trains
People are waiting to see trains of the future. A gauge changeable train and a maglev train are one of them. The gauge changeable trains can run on different rail gauges (the distance between the two parallel rails). In Japan, there are four types of gauge and the trains can’t run on the different rail gauges. The gauge changeable trains are capable to change the distance of the wheels and run on any railway with different gauge.
 

Gauge changeable train

Image supplied courtesy of The Japan Railway Construction, Transport and The Technology Agency and The Railway Technical Research Institute


Mechanism of changing gauge
The gauge changeable trains use gauge changeable bogies and gauge changeable rails to run on different railway tracks.
They are developing the gauge changeable train that changes the distance of the wheels on both sides automatically after passing the guide rails so that it can run on the rails with different gauges.
 

Maglev trains (Superconducting train)
A Maglev train's official name is a superconducting magnetically levitated vehicle. It is suspended and runs at high speed by a strong magnetic force from superconducting magnet. The conventional trains run on the rails with wheels, whereas the Maglev trains float and run at super high speed of 500 km/h. It is expected that we can use the Maglev trains in the future.
 

Maglev train test car (MLX01)

Photograph supplied courtesy of The Railway Technical Research Institute


Mechanism of Maglev trains
Have you ever seen magnets’ south pole and north pole attracting or the same poles repelling each other in science class? Maglev trains float and advance using the repulsive force and the attractive force of the magnets.
 



Mechanism of advancing


Mechanism of levitation

Now, various running tests are underway on the Yamanashi Maglev Test line.