China's new maglev train rolls off production line

CHANGSHA -- A new generation domestic medium-low-speed magnetic levitation (maglev) train rolled off the production line Wednesday in the central province of Hunan.

The train can run up to 160 km per hour, compared with the first generation's top speed of 100 km per hour, said Tong Laisheng, head of the maglev research institute of the CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd, the developer.

It also has a 30-percent increase in traction efficiency and can carry up to 500 passengers with three carriages, Tong said.

China's first medium-low-speed maglev rail line was put into commercial operation in May 2016 in Changsha, capital of Hunan. The trains have run over 1.7 million km and carried nearly 6 million passengers.

The new model is suitable for operation between central and satellite cities while the old one is suitable for operation within a city.

CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive is also developing a more advanced maglev model with a top speed of 200 km per hour.