Recent Status of the Maglev Yamanashi Test Line
Kazuo SAWADA
General Manager of Technology,
Maglev Systems Development Dept.
The Yamanashi Test Line was planned to promote developments to put the Maglev system into practical use, and a priority section with a length of 18.4 km was completed at the end of 1996. After related systems were checked, test runs started on April 3, 1997. The first train set consisted of three cars. At first, it ran supported with wheels, and then we began levitated test runs at the end of May and raised its running speed.
It exceeded 400 km/h in September and 500 km/h in November. At the end of 1997, it reached the target speed of 550 km/h and recorded 531 km/h with people on board. During the running tests, there were some problems, but superconducting magnets and refrigerators were quite stable and the tests have gone well so far as a whole.