Japan resumes tests of 310 mph magnetic levitation train

Officials at a Japanese rail company say they've resumed trial runs for the world's fastest magnetic-levitation train intended to reach speeds of 310 mph. Central Japan Railway Co. said plans to begin work on the $52 billion maglev line between Tokyo and Nagoya early next year, with a target date to offer high-speed maglev service between the two cities in 2027. Trials of the L0 (L zero) train resumed Friday after the company complete a 5-year project to add a 15-mile extension to a test track, Bloomberg reported. The maglev trains will complement the existing Shinkansen bullet-train network. Travel time for the 177-mile trip from Nagoya, a city of 2.3 million people, to Tokyo is expected to be 40 minutes, compared to the current 95-minute trip on Shinkansen trains. The maglev trains use magnetic power to propel them as they float over tracks, traveling at almost double the 165 mph rate of current Japanese bullet trains.