Japan's largest railway company began a test run for a new bullet train that it eventually aims to operate at a record-breaking 223 miles per hour -- faster than many propeller airplanes -- according to recent news reports. The Fastech 360S, developed by East Japan Railway Co., successfully made its first test run between Sendai and Kitakami stations in northern Japan at a more leisurely 170 mph, Kyodo News agency reported. The train, painted in jade and white colors, has cat ear-shaped air-brakes that pop up from the rooftops to help slow the train in an emergency. By the time the test ends in early 2008, the operator hopes to hit the maximum speed of 250 mph -- faster than the train will travel during regular operation, according to a report of The Associated Press. French company Alstom SA's TGV, or Train a Grande Vitesse, is currently the world's fastest train, operating at a top speed of 218 mph. The new "bullet" train is set to start commercial service in 2011, when a new section on the Tohoku bullet train line currently under construction is completed. The train is expected to make the 360 mile trip between Tokyo and Aomori --about the distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles -- within three hours, half of the amount of time it currently takes.
