JR Central Pavilion: Invitation to the Ultimate Surface Transit System.

(From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI))

Byline: Kigaku Yasumichi

Superconducting Maglev Linear Motor car The superconducting magnetically levitated linear motor car, or Superconducting Maglev, is a revolutionary transit system. Unlike conventional trains, it does not come in contact with its guideway. Instead, the Maglev is levitated in the air above the guideway by the electromagnetic forces between superconducting magnets on board the vehicle and coils on the ground.

The Superconducting Maglev's origins can be traced back to 1962 to the research of a linear motor propulsion that targeted a 1-hour trip between Tokyo and Osaka, envisioning a next-generation ultra high-speed railway to follow the Shinkansen (bullet train). The first successful levitating run was conducted at the Railway Technical Research Institute in 1972. In 1977, a test track was built in Miyazaki, and in 1979 the first test vehicle, the ML-500, reached 517 km/h, the fastest speed ever recorded on a railway.

In 1989, the decision was made to build the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line, including tunnels, gradient and curves, and in April 1997, test runs were commenced on the line. Tests proceeded smoothly, with a manned test run achieving a speed of 552 km/h in April 1999, and in the following November, two Maglev vehicles passed by each other in opposite directions at a relative speed of 1,003 km/h. In March 2000, the Maglev Practical Technology Evaluation Committee of the former Ministry of Transport said, "The Maglev has the practicability for an ultra high-speed mass transport system." A test run plan is being launched to verify long-term durability, to test technologies that can reduce costs and improve the aerodynamics, with the aim of further advancing the superconducting Maglev technologies in roughly five years from FY 2000.

A world-record speed of 581 km/h for a manned vehicle was achieved in December 2003, and in November 2004, a relative passing speed of 1,026 km/h for two vehicles traveling in opposite directions was achieved, with the total travel distance for the vehicle reaching 400,000 km. These and other developments helped establish the fundamental technologies required for a commercially viable line. Test rides were also conducted to allow people to experience the level of maturity of superconducting Maglev technology, and by November 2004, a total of about 85,000 people had enjoyed rides on the vehicles.

Special Pavilion to Be Established at High-Profile Location for Visitors from Japan and Overseas At the EXPO 2005, JR Central will set up a pavilion at a high-profile location that will grab the attention of visitors from around the world. Japan's cutting-edge Superconducting Maglev technology will be introduced at the JR Central Pavilion, which will serve as a springboard for implementing a next-generation railway.