Tokyo, Dec 02: Japan's super-fast Maglev Train renewed its own world speed record today, reaching 581 Km per hour during manned testing, its operator said. The new mark, set by a three-car train using magnetic Levitation (Maglev) technology on an experimental track West of Tokyo, edged up from the previous record of 579 Km per hour set in November, the Railway Technical Research Institute said. It is the third time since November 17 that it has broken its 1999 record.

"The Maglev Train with 12 people on board registered the record speed," a spokeswoman for the institute said.

The Maglev Train, which uses magnetic force to float over its track, has been tested since 1997 at the course in Yamanashi, 100 Km West of Tokyo, but has yet to enter commercial service.

On the Yamanashi track, the Maglev has logged a total of 333,985 Km and carried 63,934 people on board. Bureau Report