Kawasaki Developing 217 MPH Train for Japan

The Railway Gazette reports that Kawasaki has unveiled a new high-speed train called the Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train (efSET). The train will travel at a speed of 217 MPH (350 km/h).

Kawasaki designed the train with a lightweight aerodynamic body to lower vibration and noise. It will also be equipped with regenerative braking that recycles kinetic energy generated by movement.

The Kawasaki train is even faster than Japan’s record-holding Shinkansen train, which travels at a speed of 186 MPH. In order to assure reliability of the new train, engineers will make use of components proven to work in the Shinkansen train network.

But Japanese train-riders will have settle for the Shinkansen train in the near future—the Kawasaki design won’t be finished until March 2009, and engineering verification won’t be completed until March 2010.

Americans—specifically, Californians—have to wait even longer for their 220 MPH high-speed train, which won’t be ready until 2030.