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A while ago, I saw another example of a very obviously failed design on Japanese television. It seemed to be a program on great inventors in Japan, and this episode focused on a man who worked in transportation. One of his projects was ultra-high speed rail via rocket power. They showed footage of several small-scale tests he did in the 50's or 60's, with rockets blasting small capsules across fairly short lengths of track. I couldn't follow the whole program due to my rather limited Japanese, but it seemed like people lost interest in the idea once the Shinkansen bullet trains proved successful.
Finally, on the subject of failed designs, what do people think about magnetic levitation trains? Despite rather consistent efforts in a few places (China I know has a line from Pudong airport to Shanghai, one that I hear never runs - I've heard something about Germany making efforts in this field as well, but don't know much), I have not heard about a functional commercial mag-lev line.
Sorry for the late post, but being in Japan, the time difference makes it kind of hard . . .
On the other hand, some narrow gauge railways live on fine as regional transporters or tourists: in Switzerland, there are whole networks.
As for Japanese rocket trains: thanks, never heard of this! I only know that the absolute high-speed record on rails is held by rocket sledges at a US rocket test facility. In 2003, the record was increased, it now stands at Mach 8.5 / 6416 mph / 10325 km/h. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
(I totally forgot to check comments to my October Revolution frontpage story once it slipped, for example...)
DoDo, it's not like you'll disappear.
With that name, are you sure? ;-) *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
Serious maglev development was done in Japan and Germany. That the former holds the world speed record (at 581 km/h = 361 mph) is due to a longer test line, the German technology (Transrapid) is more advanced. The Pudong to Shanghai line is the first and only commercial Transrapid, it reaches a scheduled 430 km/h (267.2 mph) even on its short strech.
As far as I know, the Shanghai Maglev does run (this November 30, its service was even extended), but rather empty (5 million passengers in 3 years): ticket is expensive, yet the end station is at a metro station in a suburb, so not very practical. The Shanghai authorities spared a tunnel under the city - and the project was expensive enough without it. Cost is also the reason plans to build a line in Germany failed so far (first it was to be Berlin-Hamburg, later across the Ruhr area, now to connect Munich with its airport - but even the latter could fail).
As I wrote in my earlier diaries, I am negative about maglev. It is a superior technology (tough not as superior as in some PR - the latest high-speed trains have come closer in acceleration, while have a better ride quality), but its track is very expensive. And another disadvantage is that while high-speed trains can continue to destinations on conventional lines (at least in Europe - but Japan also has three-track slow lines with Shinkansens), you'd have to build maglev tracks everywhere to offer similar service. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
What are the currently projected costs? Considering the cost of €10 billion for altogether 100 km of tunnels in NEAT, I'd expect something like €50 billion at least, but maybe there are economies of scale and spared elements (track for one)? *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
Whoa - much cheaper than I thought! (BTW, in English, there is no Milliarde - these uneducated barbarians call it a billion :-))
For comparison, Rail 2000 was 7.4 mia CHF and Alptransit 14 mia CHF.
Planned - the former was put into service after remaining waaay below budget (CHF 5.9 billion), but the latter became more expensive (due to inflation, project changes and some geologic problems), now projected to cost CHF 16.40 billion (€10.55 billion) in the end. *Traitor*, n. A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.
