Shanghai gets world's first magnetic levitation train

[Maciamo]

Schroeder in China for supertrain start

The train, built and designed by German engineers, will link the Chinese city of Shanghai with its airport - and will represent the first ever application of new "maglev" technology, in which the train literally floats above the track

Held up by powerful magnets, the train can travel at speeds of over 400km/h (250mph) - completing the 30km (19 mile) journey in minutes.

Looks like China economic boom has really launched. It's time to study some Mandarin and prepare for the future.

[thomas]

The development of "Transrapid" has been a never-ending story and financially a bottomless pit. The Chinese order has saved the project.

"Maglev" trains are in use in Japan since 1997

=> http://w4.siemens.de/FuI/de/archiv/z..._97/artikel12/ (in German)

[gundamv3]

i think they also made one in germany

[Maciamo]

I've found the BBC article of 1997 about Japan's maglev. They have been able to reach 531km/h, but it won't be available before "several years, says the article. I confirm, it isn't operational yet.

gundamv3 wrote :
i think they also made one in germany

The Chinese version was actually conceived by Germany, hence the presence of Gerhard Schroeder for the inauguration.

I've heard of a similar project between Berlin and Hamburg, but don't know what has happened to it. Thomas ?

[thomas]

The Hamburg - Berlin project has been cancelled. Other projects aim at connecting Bavaria and Nordrhein-Westphalen, but it appears that the current budget situation in Germany makes their realization very unlikely.

Costs of development so far: € 1,25 billion

Furthermore, the German government subsidised the Shanghai project with additional € 200 million as ODA

=> http://transrapid.bahnaktuell.net/index.html

[SirJeannot]

Speed: more than 430 km/h (260mph)

[warakawa]

and sydney still uses train from the 60's

[Ewok85]

Adelaide still uses trams from the 1920's ;)

Go Shanghai, sounds like one wild train!