According to The Times newspaper in London, the Transrapid technology applied to the 30 km trial length of Shanghai’s maglev rail connection has become a symbol of Germany’s economic decline as its builders were forced to admit that it does not work. The newspaper reported that the opening of the U.S. $1.2 billion rail link from the Metro to Pudong International Airport has been delayed until next year because the train set that took 30 years to develop had repeatedly and inexplicably stopped.

No doubt it is true that the Chinese Government is not impressed with this display of German technical mastery, but ThyssenKrupp who are supplying the trains and control equipment commented:

“Work on the Transrapid order in Shanghai is progressing on schedule. The first five-section vehicle started trials at the beginning of April and has already reached the envisaged speed of 430 km/hour. The second parallel track was released for start-up operation in May.

“Tests involving two vehicles passing in opposite directions have also commenced. During trial operations, a problem was identified with the cable winding of the long-stator motor. In some cases, a combination of several unfavourable factors resulted in damage to the cable sheathing. This in no way detracted from the safety and functionality of the propulsion unit or the system as a whole.

“Nonetheless, in close consultation with the Chinese customer [Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. Ltd. whose President is CIOB China member Wu Xiangming], we have decided to replace the cables. The timetable will not be affected by these measures and commercial operation is still planned to commence in early 2004. The customer SMTDC welcomes ThyssenKrupp’s decision and is providing active assistance to rectify this problem as quickly as possible.”

‘FLOATING ABOVE THE MAGLEV GUIDEWAY’
The long-stator motor is the key to propulsion of the high speed maglev trains. As Wu Xiangming explained, the synchronous long-stator linear motor literally floats above the maglev guideway and is propelled forward by powerful electro-magnetic forces. The guideway system has been designed and built by Chinese engineers: it consists of 2,500 box girder units each 24 m in length which yields 30 km of track in each direction. Everything got off to a splendid start when at the end of last year China’s Premier Zhu Rongji took the German Chancellor Gerhardt Schroeder for a ride to the terminal at Pudong Airport and back again to Longyang Road Station. On that day, fortunately for everyone, the trainset behaved impeccably and reached the promised design speed of 430 km/hr within the stated eight minutes.

Wu Xiangming and his engineering team were well aware from the outset that technical problems were bound to arise in a piece of innovative technology which is very much on trial. The schedule said that a three-section maglev train-set must pass a test operation on a single track by January 2003, which it did.

The test-run of maglev trains on double track and turn around operations is due in September, and in view of Thyssen Krupp’s confident assertion quoted above, we may expect that to happen more or less on time.

The whole installation is due to be completed and accepted by the client at the end of the year but it now seems that the hand-over date will slip back to January 2004. If all goes smoothly from now on, the Chinese Government’s faith in German technology should be restored.
The Times asserted that on learning of the set-back caused by the linear motor burn-out, the Government cancelled its plans for an 800-mile Transrapid route between Beijing and Shanghai. But it seems doubtful that any firm decision on such a huge project would be made at this stage.

What seems more likely is that the transportation situation in this economic powerhouse region of China is being reviewed: the next step may well be a high speed line between Shanghai and Hangzhou. The decision to go ahead with the mighty Hangzhou Bay Bridge for motor traffic may be seen a pointer in this direction, since development in this segment of the Chinese economy would produce rich dividends in traffic paying its way, as well as generating the financial resources to support such megaprojects.

CIOB INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICE      JULY/AUGUST 2003