TransRapid crashed

Skybird · 09-22-06, 03:19 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5370564.stm

The crash happened at 200 km/h. Maximum speed of this train is near 500 km/h. On that track, some 30 km long, it regularly travelled with speeds in excess of 400km/h. No driver aboard, the thing is remote-controlled. At those speeds, the human factor had to be wiped out completely.

Only the test track was build in Germany, with an option to build another line near Munich, to the airport. No more plans to build more, since these tracks are ridiculously expensive. However, Transrapid has been sold to China (one line near Shanghai).

Which leads to the queer situation that the inventor and producer of this technology - does not use it himself. Future of it in Germany is grim, which maybe is no bad thing, since these things mess up the landscape even more obviously than conventional railways. Would be too bad if it would go the same way like MP3, which had beeen invented by German Fraunhofer Institute, and for free. German companies thought it would have no future and were shy to take the risk. Today, the big business with MP3 players is made by Japanese and American manufacturers who had not payed a single cent to gain access to this technology. GGermany's mistake, Japan's/US' benefit.

The delicate detail: short time ago, the Chinese Transrapid had smoke inside the cabin, and today German transportation ministre was guest in China, trying to sell them more. The info on the desaster reached him right there, and he interrupted the visit therefore. It probably will not encourage the Chinese to buy more.

09-22-06, 03:19 PM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,635 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	TransRapid crashed http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5370564.stm The crash happened at 200 km/h. Maximum speed of this train is near 500 km/h. On that track, some 30 km long, it regularly travelled with speeds in excess of 400km/h. No driver aboard, the thing is remote-controlled. At those speeds, the human factor had to be wiped out completely. Only the test track was build in Germany, with an option to build another line near Munich, to the airport. No more plans to build more, since these tracks are ridiculously expensive. However, Transrapid has been sold to China (one line near Shanghai). Which leads to the queer situation that the inventor and producer of this technology - does not use it himself. Future of it in Germany is grim, which maybe is no bad thing, since these things mess up the landscape even more obviously than conventional railways. Would be too bad if it would go the same way like MP3, which had beeen invented by German Fraunhofer Institute, and for free. German companies thought it would have no future and were shy to take the risk. Today, the big business with MP3 players is made by Japanese and American manufacturers who had not payed a single cent to gain access to this technology. GGermany's mistake, Japan's/US' benefit. The delicate detail: short time ago, the Chinese Transrapid had smoke inside the cabin, and today German transportation ministre was guest in China, trying to sell them more. The info on the desaster reached him right there, and he interrupted the visit therefore. It probably will not encourage the Chinese to buy more. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 09-22-06 at 03:23 PM.