Magnetic Levitation

I can still remember way back the first time I found out that the same poles of magnets repel. How cool it was to take two round magnets and push them around the table top, or to try to actually get the two buggers to like each other!
Who would have thought 20 some odd years later I'd get the chance to ride on something using that theory!

Shanghai has the first commercially available Maglev train in the world which goes from one of their subway stations out to the airport. It cost about 1.5 Billion Yuan to build, it's a 30 km ride, it cost 80Y for a two-way ticket, and it is STUPID fast! I mean it.

I didn't even think about going on this train before I talked with some Swedish guys in Suzhou who had just come in from Shanghai. Thank god I did otherwise I would have missed one of the funnest things I could do here in China. Yes, this rates right up there with Everest Base Camp!

The station looked just like any other train/subway station. 2 tracks on 1 platform. Just the absence of rails and rail ties that give you the clue that somethings different.

The train itself is like the highspeed trains in France and Germany. Bullet shaped and very sleek for aerodynamics. We got on, and since it wasn't busy, Jenni and I searched for empty window seats and managed to find two (one on each side of the train) to sit in. We didn't need to be together for a trip like this. Window seat is the way to go!

Out comes my camera (set on video) and my GPS. I wanted to try to record the speed and position of the train over the entire 8km.

Right on the minute, you can feel the train lift up a small amount (Floating, we are now fricking floating!!!) and move forward. Of course they have an LED displaying the speed and 100 km/h came pretty quick but not so fast that you were thrown back in your seat.

Not bad I thought...really cool...we're still riding on air! Although I thought it was a bit more bumpy than I thought it would be. I remember riding on the Japanese HSST at Expo 86 in Vancouver and that was darned smooth. But I guess we were only going like 30 km/h.

I was much more interested as we passed 200 km/h and you can hear the pitch of something getting faster and faster which means we were still accelerating. 250...300...350!!! Are you serious??? Still accelerating! 400!

Holy SH!T...

Still going...430! The cars on the road are standing still, everything is flying by in a blurr...I sure hope this thing is safe! :)

After about a minute the speed goes down and we have almost travelled the 30km. I think my camera was showing about 7 minutes. Crazy! Next to a plane, this will be the fastest way I have ever travelled.

Other cool things to happen in the 8 minutes? The tracks bank. They would have to otherwise you'd be thrown to the outside of the turn. The speed in which the opposite train passes you (think "blink of an eye") along with the punch of the shockwave. Oh and did I mention we were fricking floating!?!?! :)

Too much fun. I could've ridden that thing all day. Here's a video of the first run out to the airport. Oh and the GPS? Couldn't pick up a signal. :(