Japanese National Railways (JNR) began research on a linear propulsion railway system in 1962 with the goal of developing a train that could travel between
Tokyo and
Osaka in one hour. Shortly after
Brookhaven National Laboratory patented superconducting magnetic levitation technology in the United States in 1969, JNR announced development of its own superconducting maglev (SCMaglev) system. The railway made its first successful SCMaglev run on a short track at its Railway Technical Research Institute in 1972. JR Central plans on exporting the technology, pitching it to potential buyers.
Miyazaki test track In 1977, SCMaglev testing moved to a new 7 km test track in
Hyūga, Miyazaki. By 1980, the track was modified from a "┴" shape to the "U" shape used today. In April 1987, JNR was privatized, and
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) took over SCMaglev development. In 1989, JR Central decided to build a better testing facility with tunnels, steeper gradients, and curves. Since 1997, the Chuo Shinkansen has amassed over 2,044,000 miles of test runs, averaging roughly 2,000 kilometers per day. In one record-setting day, the SCMaglev traveled approximately 2,525 miles (4,062 km)—far exceeding the expected daily mileage during routine operation. ==Commercial use==