Record-smashing Chinese maglev hyperloop train hits 387 mph and could someday outpace a plane
China says its maglev hyperloop train has broken the world speed record in a test run, reaching a blistering 387 mph (623 km/h). Ultimately, its makers want to build a train more than three times as fast that will break the sound barrier and outpace airplanes. The maglev train, dubbed the T-Flight, was built by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), New Atlas reported. Hyperloop trains work by pushing magnetically levitating pods through tunnels with very little air resistance. The previous record holder for the fastest maglev train is the L0 Series SCMaglev in Japan, according to JRPass , which can hit a top speed of 375 mph (630 km/h). Related: Future electric cars could go more than 600 miles on a single charge thanks to battery-boosting gel To test the new train, CASIC built a track roughly 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) long in a low-pressure vacuum tube. To reach such high speeds, the trains must encounter almost no friction. So CASIC ...