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RAS question

Maglev technology for trains uses electromagnetic levitation to eliminate wheel-rail contact. Arrange the following maglev milestones in the correct CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (earliest first): 1. Japan's SCMaglev sets the world record speed of 603 km/h. 2. Shanghai Maglev (Transrapid) begins commercial operations. 3. Japan's JR-Maglev MLX01 first surpasses 500 km/h in a test run. 4. Germany's Transrapid technology is demonstrated on a test track in Emsland.

Correct answer: (A) 4 → 3 → 2 → 1.

The correct chronological order of the maglev milestones is Germany's Transrapid Emsland test track in 1984, Japan's MLX01 crossing 500 km/h in 1999, Shanghai Maglev entering commercial service in 2004, and Japan's SCMaglev setting 603 km/h in 2015.

  1. (A)

    4 → 3 → 2 → 1

  2. (B)

    3 → 4 → 2 → 1

  3. (C)

    4 → 2 → 3 → 1

  4. (D)

    3 → 2 → 4 → 1

Explanation

The sequence turns on separating test-track development from later commercial and record-speed milestones. Germany's Transrapid Test Facility at Emsland comes first because it opened in 1984, making it the earliest event in the list. Japan's JR-Maglev MLX01 follows: on 14 April 1999, it recorded 552 km/h in manned test runs, so it had clearly crossed the 500 km/h mark before the Shanghai system opened. Shanghai Maglev then began daily commercial operation in 2004 using German-built maglev technology. The final milestone is Japan's SCMaglev world record: Guinness World Records lists the Central Japan Railway Company's Series L0 at 603 km/h in Yamanashi on 21 April 2015. Hence the order is 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 1.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (B) It puts Japan's 1999 MLX01 milestone before the Emsland Transrapid facility, although the Emsland test track had already opened in 1984.
  • (C) It places Shanghai's 2004 commercial operation before Japan's MLX01 speed milestone, even though MLX01 crossed 500 km/h in 1999.
  • (D) It starts with the 1999 MLX01 event and pushes Emsland after Shanghai, but the Emsland Transrapid test track is the earliest milestone at 1984.

Concept

This tests chronology in transport geography: how experimental infrastructure, commercial deployment and speed-record milestones fit into the evolution of high-speed rail. RAS often asks such sequences because technology, infrastructure and regional development are linked themes in world geography.

Source

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