East Japan Railway Co. unveiled its newest model shinkansen, the Fastech, to the media during a test run Wednesday.
The Fastech, designed to be the world's fastest train riding on rails, reached 366 kph during the test run. JR East plans to operate the train at 360 kph beginning in 2011, when the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, which currently links Tokyo and Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, will be extended northward to Shin-Aomori Station.
The Fastech, which started test runs last June, has traveled a total of 30,000 km. It reached a speed of 398 kph last August.
The test car, which left JR Sendai Station shortly after midnight Tuesday, surpassed the maximum speed of 275 kph for the Tohoku Shinkansen Line and accelerated to 366 kph by the time it passed JR Kurikoma Kogen Station in the Miyagi Prefecture.
The test car shook somewhat as the train exceeded 300 kph.
A JR spokesman said further improvements are planned.
