Wednesday, January 25, 2012

http://yield2me.com/-59055.htm
China is marching ahead, albeit over the backs of  labor living in slave like conditions. it has now built a lighter version of the maglev( Magnetic Levitated)  train. The Chinese plan to use this train in the densely populated areas of Shanghai and Beijing. They have also offered it for sale to other countries.
The lighter version of the maglev train will be only a  3 carriage train and will be able to accommodate 600 passengers. However it will have a turning radius of just 50 meters  and as such will be ina position to run through densely populated areas both commercial and residential. In fact such a train could be a boon for cities like Calcutta and Bombay.

The train will run at one fifth the speed  of the trains marketed by Japan and Germany, but its advantage is its use in cities that are heavily populated. As per reports the train was made operational on Friday19 January 2012 and is some what a blow to Japanese and German  manufacturers of maglev trains. One advantage going in favor of the Chinese train is its operation and cost.. The Chinese train is much cheaper than the Japanese and German trains and is also claimed to be more environment friendly. In addition because of its slower speed and turning radius it can run through the old heavily populated centers of big cities with ease.
The train has been manufactured  by Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive company. The company claims that the risk of derailment and over turning in the heavily populated areas is zero and as such the train is safe to use and run.

The development of this maglev train is not good news for maglev manufacturers in Japan and Germany, as they have a cheaper rival.

Chinese rail is making spectacular advances as is seen with the commissioning of the highest rail line in the world to Lhasa in Tibet. This itself is an engineering feat . Now  with the development of low cost maglev train China is certainly moving ahead. I wonder why India lags in this field. The Indians have virtually no plans of similar trains and are surrendering the leadership of Asia to China.