Chinese engineers have constructed a 2 km test track in Yanggao County, Shanxi province, to advance near-vacuum maglev transportation.
The project, led by Xu Shengqiao at the China Railway Engineering Consulting Group (CREC), features a hybrid steel-concrete tube design reinforced with epoxy-coated rebar and corrugated steel expansion joints. The team successfully tested a levitating vehicle on the maglev track within a partial vacuum on July 22, 2024.
The system incorporates laser-guided sensors, AI-driven magnetic dampers, and distributed vacuum pumps to regulate pressure levels. Safety mechanisms, including emergency airlocks and reinforced passenger cabins, have also been implemented.