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World’s First Sustainable Sky Train Looks Like a Flying Panda, Has Glass Bottom

Trains have somewhat of a reputation of being outdated or, at best, that they’re only utilitarian. One project in China is aiming to turn a train into a tourist objective on its own.
A demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-Rail 6 photos
Photo: YouTube / CGTN
A demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-RailA demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-RailA demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-RailA demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-RailA demonstration car for China's new sustainable sky train, the Dayi Air-Rail
It’s called the Dayi Air-Rail and it’s a sky train like no other. Late last month, the company behind the project, Zhongtang Air Rail Technology Co Ltd., unveiled a demonstration car in Chengdu, in southwest China, CGTN reports.

The Dayi Air-Rail is, as you probably inferred from the name, a suspension railway. The car, which can hold up to 120 people at once and travels at speeds of up to 80 kph (50 mph), is glass on three sides, offering 270-degree views of the area it’s crossing. Since the train is suspended, this means that the third wall of glass is on the floor – a not-so-small detail that can make all the difference to passengers with a fear of heights.

Described by local media as the world’s first sky train that runs on renewable energy, the train is fitted with lithium battery packs, which make it a sustainable means of mass transit. That said, it’s not meant to replace the trains and subways already serving the area, but rather to boost tourist traffic in areas where there is very little of it.

For the time being, the company has only completed 11.5 km (7.1 miles) of suspended railway, enough to run the demonstration car on it. However, it includes four stops. The plan is to have the project completed by the end of the year, but the aforementioned local reports don’t mention the final length of the railway.

Zhongtang Air Rail Technology Co Ltd. Says that building this suspended train, which looks like a giant panda gliding through the air (their words, not ours), is one-sixth to one-eighth cheaper to build and run than a regular subway train. It’s also lighter than most trains, because the car is made of composite carbon fiber and foam. Its goal is to spread the gospel on smart travel and, as noted above, increase tourist traffic in certain areas.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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