China unveils 420 km/h train and it's all done with magnets

Alucard · 01-02-2003, 06:43 AM

This is just too cool for words. Heres a couple choice cuts from the huge article.

Quote:

SHANGHAI, China?The sleek white train zipped noiselessly out of a futuristic station in Shanghai, carrying Chinese and German leaders ? and hopes for a new era in railway technology.

The world's first commercial magnetic-levitation train performed flawlessly on its maiden journey yesterday, hitting a top speed of about 420 kilometres per hour between Shanghai's gleaming financial district and the three-year-old Pudong airport. The German-built high-tech marvel rides above its track suspended by powerful opposing magnets.

Its VIP passengers, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, said they hoped the 14-minute, 30-kilometre journey would build confidence in the expensive new technology.

"The completion of the Shanghai magnetic-levitation train test project ... holds important meaning for the construction of a high-speed rail network in China," Zhu said in a speech after the ride.

The Shanghai train is being watched closely, as much for the speed and performance of its 21st century technology as for its jaw-dropping $1.9 billion cost ? partly covered by German subsidies.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...l=968793972154

01-02-2003, 08:33 AM

wow thats interesting (no sarcasm)

Kid0_oIcarus · 01-06-2003, 11:50 AM

Hey that is pretty cool.

Alucard · 01-06-2003, 11:55 AM

I'm gonna ride one.

Ogni · 01-06-2003, 12:33 PM

You can really see how stupid germans can be... (me being one, I know what I'm talking about)
In Germany there has been a political discussion about building a test-track for about 10 years now, but they never managed to get anything done. So much for supporting new technologies here in Germany...

PS: Well there is a small test-track, but no real connections of cities have been made.

01-06-2003, 11:50 AM	#3
Kid0_oIcarus wha-? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: T4mp4, Fl0r1d4 Posts: 2,816	Hey that is pretty cool. __________________ I took a class in it. ('.' >)

01-06-2003, 12:33 PM	#5
Ogni In bed with Sega! Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 250	You can really see how stupid germans can be... (me being one, I know what I'm talking about) In Germany there has been a political discussion about building a test-track for about 10 years now, but they never managed to get anything done. So much for supporting new technologies here in Germany... PS: Well there is a small test-track, but no real connections of cities have been made. __________________ Fighting for the spirit of SEGA!!! Last edited by Ogni; 01-06-2003 at 12:37 PM.

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01-02-2003, 08:33 AM	#2
ShinNyika Guest Posts: n/a	wow thats interesting (no sarcasm)

01-06-2003, 11:55 AM	#4
Alucard Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 32,641	I'm gonna ride one.