So I came across this on my newsfeed earlier today, and although it isn't brand new, I just thought it was the most unbelievably coolest thing ever. And normally I seriously dislike the Chinese and everything they do.
Well, technically this isn't Chinese, it's German/Japanese. China just decided to spend the absurd amount of money while it's still to early in development to be practical and affordable.
Magnetic Levitation trains (Maglev) - the idea has been around for about fifty years now, and Japan and Germany have been seriously developing two different types for the past few years, trying to drive the construction costs down enough so they could be rolled out on a larger scale.
Basically, the trains use magnets to float above their tracks, and also use magnets to propel them along. Without any of the mechanical crap, like wheels and motors and breaks and axles, that heats up and weighs a lot and generates resistance, these trains can do over 300 mph without breaking a sweat. The one in this video can do over 300, and on everyday normal service it does 268. That's as fast as a Bugatti Veyron Supersport at top speed (the fastest car in the world) and way waay faster than any normal high speed train like the TGV or Bullet Train.
The current future-concept is to put the trains in a low-pressure tunnel, with almost little air resistance (this was when they realised vacuum tunnels over 300 or so miles were pretty much impossible). This would allow the trains to reach something like 1800 mph, faster than most fighter jets and more than three times as fast as any airliner. All the while burning no gas and emitting no fumes.
Sorry for the rant, I am a little bit of what you would call a train nerd...but watch this video. It's so fucking cool regardless. Can't stop thinking about it. I WANNA RIDE ONE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTo-krTSZBA