China on Sunday unveiled an upgraded version of its high-speed bullet train, which its producer says achieved a speed of 450 kmph while conducting test runs, it claimed to be the world's fastest high-speed train.
China State Railway Group Co, also known as China Railway, said the updated version, called the CR450 prototype, will more strongly shorten travel time and create a better connectivity network system for the country's expansive passengers.
CR450 prototype reaches test speed of 450 kmph: officials
The CR450 prototype reached a test speed of 450 kmph, with key performance indicators operational speed, energy consumption, interior noise, and braking distance setting a new international benchmark, official media here reported.
It is significantly faster than the CR400 Fuxing high-speed rail currently in service, which operates at speeds of 350 kmph, a report by state-run Xinhua said.
China Railway said that the prototypes will undergo a series of line tests, optimising technical indicators, in an effort to make sure that the CR450 is launched into commercial service as quickly as possible.
The operational tracks of high-speed railway reach around 47,000 kms in China and now connect major cities, based on the latest official data.
Though not economical, China says the HSR network expansion has played a crucial role in the nation's economic and social development, reducing travel times and boosting industrial development along railway routes. Internal surveys reveal that the Beijing-Shanghai train service was the most profitable, while the networks in other cities have yet to turn lucrative.
In recent years, China's HSR exported its network to Thailand and Indonesia and even built the Belgrade-Novi Sad HSR in Serbia.
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