Transrapid at the Emsland test facility

Transrapid is a German monorail system using magnetic levitation. Based on a patent from 1934, planning of an actual Transrapid system started in 1969. The test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany was completed in 1987, and on the 17th June 1993 the Transrapid TR-07 vehicle reached a record-breaking speed of 450 kilometers per hour. Today the maximum design speed has exceeded the 500 km/h (310 mph) mark and currently stands at about 550 km/h, with the fastest (And currently the only operational) scheduled passenger service reaching 430 km/h between Long-Yang Road station and Pudong Intl. Airport in Shanghai, China. The system is developed and marketed by Transrapid International, a joint venture of the German companies Siemens AG and ThyssenKrupp. Download high resolution version (833x526, 54 KB)A Transrapid train in Germany Copyright: Picture taken from the German Wikipedia, see de:Bild:Transrapid. ... Download high resolution version (833x526, 54 KB)A Transrapid train in Germany Copyright: Picture taken from the German Wikipedia, see de:Bild:Transrapid. ... The KL Monorail in Kuala Lumpur, a colourful straddle-beam monorail A monorail is a transit system, resembling a metro or railroad with a track consisting of a beam (guideway), not a single rail as is implied by the name, as opposed to the traditional track with two parallel rails. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a person for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which is new, inventive, and... Emsland is a district in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... Determining the fastest railed veichle in the world is difficult, because of the wide variety of designs. ... Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China, Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ) is Chinas largest city by population. ... Siemens AG (FWB:SIE, NYSE: SI) is the worlds largest electronics company. ... German industrial company ThyssenKrupp AG, with about 200,000 employees, mainly operates in the steel industry, but also in the automotive, industrial construction, and shipbuilding areas, as well as manufacturing lifts and providing other technologies and services. ...

Economic and environmental consideration

The Transrapid is said to be more energy efficient than a standard train and considerably less noisy. This is chiefly due to the absence of friction between train and track. (However, for high-speed trains in general, most energy is consumed to overcome aerodynamic drag, as it scales, other than the wheels' friction, with the cube of the velocity.) It is also capable of climbing significantly steeper tracks, rendering it especially suitable for mountainous regions. It is possible to flexibly adapt its guideway to the landscape and to have it tightly follow existing roads, railroad tracks, and power lines. Therefore, no significant interventions in the environment are necessary and pristine landscape is protected. Furthermore, the original use of the landscape under the guideway is still possible (farming or grazing for example). However, track building costs are higher than for conventional high-speed trains. In physics and engineering, including mechanical and electrical engineering, energy efficiency is a dimensionless number, with a value between 0 and 1 or with times 100 given in percent. ... It has been suggested that Drag equation be merged into this article or section. ... In arithmetic and algebra, the cube of a number n is its third power — the result of multiplying it by itself two times: n3 = n × n × n. ...

Technology

See also: Technology in the Magnetic levitation train article.

The synchronous longstator linear motor of the Transrapid maglev system is used both for propulsion and braking. It functions like a rotating electric motor whose stator is cut open and stretched along under the guideway. Inside the motor windings, alternating current generates a magnetic traveling field which moves the vehicle without contact. The support magnets in the vehicle function as the excitation portion (rotor). The respective magnetic traveling field works in only one direction, and therefore makes moving train collisions less likely, as more than one train on the track section would travel in the same direction. Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid maglev in Shanghai Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a radically new form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electro-magnetic energy. ... Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid maglev in Shanghai Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a radically new form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electro-magnetic energy. ... A linear motor is essentially an electric motor that has had its stator unrolled so that instead of producing a torque (rotation), it produces a linear force along its length. ... Rotating magnetic field as a sum of magnetic vectors from 3 phase coils. ... The stator is the fixed part of a rotating machine. ... R0t0r is from efnet ...

The superspeed maglev system has no wheels, axles, transmissions, or pantographs. It does not roll; it hovers. Electronic systems guarantee that the clearance remains constant (nominally 10 mm). To hover, the Transrapid requires less power than its air conditioning equipment. The levitation system and all onboard electronics are supplied by the power recovered from harmonic oscillations of magnetic field of the track's linear stator (Those oscillations being parasitic cannot be used for propulsion anyway). In case of power failure of the track's propulsion system Transrapid car uses on-board backup batteries that can supply power to the levitation system. The Z-shaped pantograph of the electrical pickup on German light railway. ... A harmonic oscillator is a mechanical system in which there exists a returning force F directly proportionate to the displacement x, i. ... Current flowing through a wire produces a magnetic field (B, labeled M here) around the wire. ...

Transportation system for Germany

The Transrapid originated as one of the competing concepts for new land-based high speed public transportation for Germany. Another competing concept was the InterCity Express (ICE). The ICE "won" in that it was adopted nationwide in Germany. It is argued that the ICE won out in part because of its ability to run on conventional tracks and railway stations (albeit on lines not specifically designed or augmented for high-speed operation, the original ICE trains could not run faster than any other train. However special ICE units (dubbed ICE-T for InterCity Express Triebzug) were built incorporating "tilting" cars like the Italian Pendolino trains that allow for faster operation on older lines). Nevertheless, the Transrapid was seen as the next step beyond the ICE and a major asset for possible export and consequently development was not scrapped at this point, but continued as well. ICE train The InterCity Express or ICE is a type of high-speed train operated mostly by DB Fernverkehr in Germany and neighboring countries, for example to Zürich, Switzerland or Vienna, Austria. ... ICE train The InterCity Express or ICE is a type of high-speed train operated mostly by DB Fernverkehr in Germany and neighboring countries, for example to Zürich, Switzerland or Vienna, Austria. ... Pendolino ( small pendulum in Italian) is a tilting train used in Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. ...

However, in the 1990s, intense political discussions about the Transrapid started in Germany. Though technically superior to normal railroad systems, the transrapid was considered too expensive, as the companies developing it relied on federal subsidies. The controversy mostly raged over the question whether public money should be invested in construction of a track for commercial use. Plans for a track from Berlin to Hamburg were canceled because legislators were not convinced that the project would ever become profitable in competition to the existing (very old and slow) conventional railway line and hence were unwilling to invest the money in times of tight budgets - in spite of the alleged importance of having a working Transrapid system in Germany in order to ease marketing of the system abroad. Some even got as far as arguing that the Transrapid was generally unsuitable for Germany itself because of Germany's many larger and relatively close cities (with the resulting many stops at short intervalls, the time needed to repeatedly accelerate to operation speed and to decelerate before stations becomes a limiting factor in average travel speed for high-speed transportation systems) and that a demonstration line would be better situated in a country where distances between cities are far larger than in Germany. This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... This article is about the capital city of Germany. ... The smaller Alster lake at dusk Hamburg (Low German: Hamborg, [haˑmbɔːχ]) is the second largest city in Germany and with Hamburg Harbour, its principal port, Hamburg is also the second largest port city in the European Union. ...

Construction costs

Building a maglev track is less costly than a comparatively High-speed railway (HSR) line. The cost is approximately $100 million per mile including stations, trains, a maintenance facility and guideways. The non-contact technology uses factory manufactured girders. To construct a maglev track is approx. 20 to 50 % less expensive in terms of construction. However, the vehicles cost much more than conventional high-speed trains bringing overall project costs ahead of HSR track projects. In comparison, maglev technology might have equal or slightly higher costs by giving commuters much better time saving benefits. Thus, maglev technology gives a favorable ratio of travel time to infrastructure costs. However, due to its high costs, passenger comfort may be compromised as interior seating takes on more of a commercial jet-aircraft configuration than a typical passenger train one. One important consideration is that on a daily basis, each guideway must be taken off line for approximately four (4) hours for inspection. Japanese Shinkansen trains began the development of modern high-speed railways (shown here: West Japan Railway Company 500 Series Shinkansen at Kyoto). ...

Maintenance costs

While maglev costs more in terms of the overall project expenses, it saves in maintenance efforts and costs as well as energy consumption. Even though there is no long-time experience drawn from any commercial application, simulations and first data obtained from the Shanghai project prove the assumptions.

Transrapid in China

Transrapid magnetic levitation train in Shanghai, connecting the subway station to the Pudong International Airport

The only success so far was in the year 2000, when the Chinese government ordered a Transrapid track to be built connecting Shanghai to its Pudong International Airport. It was inaugurated in 2002. Regular daily trips started in March 2004. However, low passenger numbers, due to the remoteness of the terminal station from the city center and high ticket costs, hampered the line. During the first week, the average number of riders per train was only 73 people, while the maximum seating capacity is 440 passengers. One-way trip prices have recently been reduced to 50 Renminbi ($6 USD). Image File history File linksMetadata Maglev_june2005. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Maglev_june2005. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China, Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ) is Chinas largest city by population. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China, Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: ; Shanghainese: ) is Chinas largest city by population. ... Shanghai Pudong International Airport (Exterior) September 2004 Pudong International Airport (Chinese: 浦东国际机场 pinyin: Pǔdōng Guójì Jīcháng) is an airport located in the eastern part of Pudong district of Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Terminal Station was also the name of a railway station in Chattanooga, Tennessee; see Chattanooga Choo Choo. ... Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, either in terms of the space available, or in terms of limitations set by law. ... 100 Renminbi Yuan issued in 1999 The renminbi (Simplified Chinese: 人民币; Traditional Chinese: 人民幣; Pinyin: rénmínbì; literally peoples currency) or the yuan (Chinese: å…ƒ or 圆; Hanyu Pinyin: yuán) is the official currency in the mainland of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ...

Nevertheless, the Shanghai Project was designed primarily to demonstrate the state-of-the-art technology and capabilities of the Transrapid system. A high tilt compared with a relatively high speed of 430 km/h (267 mph) and leaving passengers in the outskirts of Pudong shows that the Chinese authorities were more interested in the technology transfer than commercial success. However, in terms of safety, reliability, availability, and functionality the Transrapid maglev system has demonstrated the readiness of this technology for commercial applications.

The Transrapid manufacturers hoped to obtain a subsequent order from China for a track connecting Shanghai with Beijing. Hence it was considered a serious drawback when in 2004 it is said that China considered to choose the Japanese high-speed train Shinkansen, to the disappointment of Siemens, which had hoped to sell at least the ICE which is manufactured by them as the Transrapid system partly is. Public disapproval of the idea shifted the decision further into the future. Beijing (Chinese: 北京; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... TGV R seau class, Marseille St-Charles station This page is about high speed rail in general. ... Shinkansen 0 Series at Fukuyama Station, April 2002 Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, March 2005 300 (Left) and 700 Series Shinkansen at Tokyo Station The Shinkansen (Japanese: 新幹線) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. ...

In November 2004 talks began about extending the track from Shanghai to Hangzhou, 180 km away. A maglev would shorten the travel time to less than a fifth of its current value, from 2½ hours to 27 minutes. On February 26th, Transrapid officials confided to German reporters that they had received initial approval for the line extension to Hangzhou, although they were quick to point out this is the first approval of many required for construction of an extension line. Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train is a proposed maglev train line from Shanghai to Hangzhou, in eastern China. ...

New projects for Germany

A Transrapid connection of the Bavarian capital Munich to its international airport is now being planned. It would reduce the current connection time via S-Bahn (German city railroad system) from about 40 minutes to 10 minutes. Munich (German: München, (pronounced listen) is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria. ... Munich International Airport (IATA: MUC, ICAO: EDDM), officially named Franz Josef Strauss International Airport (German: Flughafen München-Franz-Josef-Strauß) is located 28 km northeast of Munich, Germany, and is a hub for Lufthansa and Star Alliance partner airlines. ... (Translated from the German wikipedia article) The S-Bahn is a suburban metro railway network in Germany. ...

New project in the UK

The Transrapid is also being considered by the UK government as a 435 km/h (270 mph) link between London and Glasgow. London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England and is the most populous city in the European Union. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...

See also

For an overview of competitors to this system, see High-speed rail. Japanese Shinkansen trains began the development of modern high-speed railways (shown here: West Japan Railway Company 500 Series Shinkansen at Kyoto). ...

• Aérotrain
• JR-Maglev MLX01
• Land speed record for railed vehicles
• Magnetic levitation train
• Shanghai Maglev Train
• Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train

Aérotrain prototype #02 The Aérotrain was a hovercraft train developed in France from 1965 to 1977. ... JR-Maglev, MLX01, at Yamanashi JR-Maglev, MLX01 (X means Experimental), is a magnetic levitation train system developed by the Japan Railway Technical Reasearch Institute (association of Japan Railway Group), composed of a maximum 5 cars to run on the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line. ... Determining the fastest railed veichle in the world is difficult, because of the wide variety of designs. ... Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid maglev in Shanghai Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a radically new form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electro-magnetic energy. ... Shanghai Maglev Train (Shanghai Transrapid) (上海磁浮示范运营线) is the first commercial high-speed maglev line in the world. ... Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train is a proposed maglev train line from Shanghai to Hangzhou, in eastern China. ...

External links

• Maglev video gallery
• Transrapid homepage
• IMB International Maglev Board
• Slideshow on the Transrapid
• German Museum Bonn The Transrapid is one of the exhibits
• Transrapid Pictures at Shanghai Pudong Airport
• Information about the Munich Transrapid connection
• Maglev World Forum
• Transrapid - Maglev in Asia (China, Shanghai), Japan (Yamanashi) and Germany (Munich; TVE)

Bonn is a city in Germany (19th largest), in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, located about 20 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the north of the Siebengebirge. ...

High-speed trains
	Acela Express | AVE | Eurostar | InterCity Express | JR-Maglev MLX01 | HST | Korea Train Express | Magnetic levitation trains | Pendolino | Shinkansen | TGV | Thalys | Transrapid | Treno Alta Velocità | X2000

Japanese Shinkansen trains began the development of modern high-speed railways (shown here: West Japan Railway Company 500 Series Shinkansen at Kyoto). ... Image File history File links Tgv-icon. ... At Union Station (Washington, D.C.) Acela Express (often called simply Acela, leading to early confusion with the Acela Regional) is the name used by Amtrak for the high-speed tilting train service operating between Washington, D.C. and Boston via New York City and Philadelphia along the Northeast Corridor... AVE trainsets at Seville. ... Eurostar is a train service that connects London (Waterloo station) with Paris (Gare du Nord), Lille and Brussels (Gare du Midi). ... ICE train The InterCity Express or ICE is a type of high-speed train operated mostly by DB Fernverkehr in Germany and neighboring countries, for example to Zürich, Switzerland or Vienna, Austria. ... JR-Maglev, MLX01, at Yamanashi JR-Maglev, MLX01 (X means Experimental), is a magnetic levitation train system developed by the Japan Railway Technical Reasearch Institute (association of Japan Railway Group), composed of a maximum 5 cars to run on the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line. ... This Virgin Trains High Speed Train is shown here running along the Dawlish sea-front. ... Korea Train Express (KTX) is South Koreas high speed train system. ... Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid maglev in Shanghai Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a radically new form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electro-magnetic energy. ... Pendolino ( small pendulum in Italian) is a tilting train used in Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. ... Shinkansen 0 Series at Fukuyama Station, April 2002 Shinkansen 500 Series at Kyoto Station, March 2005 300 (Left) and 700 Series Shinkansen at Tokyo Station The Shinkansen (Japanese: 新幹線) is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. ... This article is about the French high-speed railway system. ... Thalys PBKA Thalys is a high-speed train network built around the high-speed line between Paris and Brussels. ... Treno Alta Velocità SpA is special purpose entity owned by RFI for planning and construction of high-speed rail lines (TAV) along Italys most important and saturated transport routes. ... X 2000 is the brand name of Swedens tilting 200 km/h high-speed train class X2, which is operated by SJ. It was launched in 1990 as a first-class only train with a meal included in the ticket price, and free use of the trains fax...