JR Tokai Maglev

[bikkuri bahn]

Japanese operator plans fastest train

 

http://www.smh.com.au/business/japanese-operator-plans-fastest-train-20110208-1alo2.html

 

I'm not a maglev fan, and this is not particularly sudden news, but I put it here as an introduction to something I saw today.  My place of employment held its entrance exam for prospective H.S. first year students today, and the first question on the science section was about the Chuo Shinkansen, including the proposed route, and specifically the superconducting magnet based propulsion system.  I found it telling that Japanese junior high school students are expected to know the basic principles of maglev.  I wonder if junior HS students elsewhere are rather more inclined to be charmed about the thrills of litigation, perhaps dreaming of helping NIMBY clients with blocking the building of HSR routes :icon_scratch:

[miyakoji]

I'm not a maglev fan

seconded

 

I wonder if junior HS students elsewhere are rather more inclined to be charmed about the thrills of litigation, perhaps to have NIMBY clients blocking building of HSR routes...

a fact wrapped in a laugh, a very funny, very sad, thing.

 

What's to become of the Tokaido Shinkansen after this?  I agree primarily with the statement about whether they really need it or not.  Not only does it seem gimmicky, the French got within a few km/h of this thing's speed with a modified but still conventional wheel-on-track TGV.  Just seems like too much overall.

[keitaro]

imagine doing ncale maglev :p

[bikkuri bahn]

What's to become of the Tokaido Shinkansen after this?  I agree primarily with the statement about whether they really need it or not.  Not only does it seem gimmicky, the French got within a few km/h of this thing's speed with a modified but still conventional wheel-on-track TGV.  Just seems like too much overall.

 

My understanding is that it's intended as a relief route for the at-capacity Tokaido Shinkansen, which will remain to provide services to intermediate destinations along the coastal corridor.  As for the speed thing, the TGV was heavily modified (short train, upgraded powertrain), and I think the track and catenary just cannot handle sustained (day in day out) running at such speeds (Chinese boasts notwithstanding), not to mention the increased power/braking requirements. Above a certain speed threshold, maglev becomes more viable for daily operational use.

[bikkuri bahn]

imagine doing ncale maglev :p

 

Forget about a switching layout

[westfalen]

I've never thought of maglevs as being real trains either but they have their pros and cons, one of the pros being reduced maintenance costs which should appeal to railway administrators whose main purpose in life is to reduce costs no matter how much you have to spend to do it.

 

I wonder if, when it's operational, we will be able to use JR passes on it or if we will finally be able to use them on Nozomis? When you think about it the N700's will have gone to the big Shinkansen depot in the sky by 2027 anyway.