Maglev Fast Rail
Shanghai Transrapid Maglev (Image: Wikipedia) |
Why Maglev?
Maglev high-speed rail is the best high-speed rail system for Australia because:
- Maglev track is easily elevated through urban areas where there is no surface easement.
- Maglev trains can operate at up to 500 km/h. A maglev train would take 2 hours to reach Sydney compared to over 3 hours for other high-speed systems.
- Maglev track can handle the curve radii and gradients of existing motorway easements so do not need a new easement to be cut through the landscape.
- At $30 to 40 million per kilometre the Maglev system compares well with many other transport systems.
What is Maglev?
A cut away diagram of the maglev system. (Image: Transrapid) |
Instead of wheels, Maglev Fast Rail systems use magnets to magnetically levitate the train above the track. The track itself is an electric motor that has been unwound into a long linear motor. The linear motor propels the Maglev train along the track at speeds of up to 500 km/h.
There is no friction between the train and the track, there are no overhead wires. Inside the train the magnetic field strength is one tenth of the magnetic field of a hair-dryer. The train levitates using on-board batteries which can keep the vehicle floating for up to an hour without any mains power supply to the track. Outside there is no noise from steel wheels on steel track, no sparking from overhead wires.
Guidance magnets located on both sides along the entire length of the vehicle keep the vehicle laterally on the track. (Image: Transrapid) |
Possible Melbourne-Sydney High Speed Easement
A Transrapid train on the elevated track at the Emsland, Germany test facility. Track curvature shown is similar to freeway curvature. Maglev trains can have up to ten carriages. (Image: Transrapid) |
For the most part Maglev track could follow the Hume Freeway.
At the Melbourne end the Maglev terminus could be placed above Wurundjeri Way adjacent to Southern Cross Station. The track could then be placed above the rail lines to Footscray before proceeding to Melbourne airport via the Western Ring Road easement. After the airport the track could run East before turning North up the proposed E14 freeway easement past the Greenvale Reservoir to the Hume Freeway.
The track could follow the Hume freeway to service Seymore, Benalla, Wangararatta, Albury - Wodonga, Gundagai, Yass, Goulburn, Bemma, Cambelltown, Bankstown airport, Sydney Airport and Sydney CBD. Express trains would only stop at the major centres allowing speeds of up to 500 km/h.
More Transrapid Information
Transrapid Test Track
Flying on the Ground
Maglev Interior
Image of the interior of a Shanghai Maglev train showing economy 3 x 3 seating. Note the 3.7 meter wide carriage. |
Energy Efficiency
Transrapid energy efficiency.
CO2 Emissions
Transrapid CO2 emissions.
Magnetic Field Strength
Transrapid magnetic field strength inside the cabin compared to a hair dryer.
Land Usage
Gradients
As the Transrapid is capable of climbing steep gradients (ten percent compared to four percent for normal railroads) and able to handle tight curves (1950 m at 300 km/h compared with 3200 m for normal railroads), it is possible to flexibly adapt its guideway to the landscape and to have it tightly follow existing roads, railroad tracks, and power lines.
Noise
At speeds around 200 km/h, you can hardly hear the Transrapid. It can quietly hover through cities and urban areas because with to its non-contact technology, there is neither rolling nor engine noise. At higher speeds, there is only the noise of the wind. At 300 km/h, the Transrapid maglev vehicle develops only as much noise as light rail trains travelling at 80 km/h, and even at speeds above 400 km/h, it is not much louder than considerably slower railroads.
|
|
Air Turbulence
When the Transrapid passes by it generates minimal turbulence. Thanks to the aerodynamic optimization of the Transrapid vehicle, there is nothing more than a slight gust at a distance of 2 m when the Transrapid passes by at a speed of more than 380 km/h. There is no perceptible air movement under the elevated guideway and the air movement produced by the vehicle on at-grade guideway at a speed of 330 km/h is only as strong as a moderate wind.
|
Assembly of Modular Track
Highly modular track speeds up track construction, keeps costs down and maintains high quality.
'At Grade' track under construction for the Emsland test track. Girder completely equipped with Stator Packs and Cable Windings. (Image: US Maglev Coalition) |
The windings are added to the track segments in the factory.
Preparation of the Long Stator Winding. (Image: US Maglev Coalition) |
Links & References
- Transrapid quote for Melbourne including the crucial $34 million / km figure for twin track:
Submission in reponse to the East-West Needs Assessment Report (6 MB PDF) - Transrapid Main Site
ThyssenKrupp Transrapid (English) Technical details, videos, photos, documents. - US Maglev Coalition
Document: Transrapid Maglev Vehicle and Guideway Development Includes passenger numbers for Shanghai maglev as at December 2010. (1 MB PDF)
The Maglev Alternative
A proposal to build a Maglev system from Southern Cross station to Geelong via Avalon Airport and from Southern Cross station to Melbourne Airport for the same price as the proposed Regional Rail Link.
Transrapid web site
See Transrapid's web site for more information, photos and videos of their maglev system.
China unveils new Maglev
15th Apr 2010: Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Co. completed the world's first Maglev train designed to travel at speeds up to 500 kilometers per hour in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. more...
Transrapid Proposal
30th July 2008: For half the price of the planned rail tunnel Transrapid can build a high-speed monorail from Geelong to the Airport to Frankston - more than 100km. Cost is quoted at $M40 / km for dual track. See Geelong Advertiser article for more.