# how long is the MagLev train in Shanghai **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331 "2010-10-25T20:51:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/1 "2010-10-25T20:51:40Z")
Here’s a link [Shanghai maglev train - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Maglev_Train) I’m not asking about the length of the track its 19 miles (30.5 km) I want to know how long the physical train itself is. I rode it the other day and passed by the other MagLev train going the other direction. We were going about 400km/Hr. Assuming the other train was going the other direction at 400km/Hr I want to know how long it took for the second train to go past me. Our relative speeds to each other was 800km/Hr, if I knew how long the train was, I would have an idea of how long it took to get past me. Believe me; IT WAS FAST!!! I think it took less than 1/2 of a second for us to go by the other train. This wasn’t ZOOOOM! this was ZOM! done. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/2 "2010-10-25T21:00:35Z")
I don’t know. But I do know I’d love a go. Being a man and so permanently 14 years I think fast trains are cool. My favourite WOW fact is that the fastest Maglev speed recorded is only 3.7 mph faster than a conventional train. Yes…that’s right. The french TGV has hit 357.2 mph!! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/3 "2010-10-25T21:05:07Z")
[YouTube video.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-54gBLwK3s) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/4 "2010-10-25T21:15:32Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I don’t know. But I do know I’d love a go. > > Being a man and so permanently 14 years I think fast trains are cool. > > My favourite WOW fact is that the fastest Maglev speed recorded is only 3.7 mph faster than a conventional train. Yes…that’s right. The french TGV has hit 357.2 mph!! I misread that as “3.7 _times_ faster”, that’s a really fast train, no matter what propulsion method! ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/5 "2010-10-25T22:44:03Z")
I just happened to have a colleague from China log into IM as I saw this thread, so I asked her if she knew how long the train is. She says it’s five cars, but I don’t know how long that is (and she didn’t want to hazard a guess). I’ve been on the Japanese Shinkansen (Nozomi) at high speed when it passed another train going the other way, and was mightily impressed at the experience. I can’t imagine what it would be like when both trains were going even _faster_. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/6 "2010-10-26T02:38:58Z")
I believe the three-car trainset is 251 feet long, based on the specs found [in this report.](http://www.transrapid-usa.com/pdf/FRA-Volpe%20Vibration%20Report.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/7 "2010-10-26T13:18:00Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I believe the three-car trainset is 251 feet long, based on the specs found [in this report.](http://www.transrapid-usa.com/pdf/FRA-Volpe%20Vibration%20Report.pdf) If this is correct and my calculations work out; it looks like the train went by me in about 0.4 seconds. Looking at the video seems to confirm that too. ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/8 "2010-10-26T15:08:31Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > If this is correct and my calculations work out; it looks like the train went by me in about 0.4 seconds. Looking at the video seems to confirm that too. I’m lucky enough to have had a ride on it and can confirm that it’s fast as feck!:eek: I’m sure it was 5 cars long (although this was 3 years ago). ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-is-the-maglev-train-in-shanghai/558331/9 "2010-10-26T15:24:11Z")
Does it run anywhere near Mt. How Hi? sorry