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China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

globaltimes.cn

71–80 of 192 posts

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#71
post #2

I really wish we had high speed rail in Australia. I'd pick a 600km/h train over a plane any day.

High speed train works well in France (and it's just 300km/h) because the country is small. Australia is huge. And so is the US. This would make sense along coasts though but you wouldn't be able to cross the country from sea to sea in a few hours of course. What's good with trains is that you can hop in at the very last moment (when the bell rings, happened to me a couple times) and the train stops in the center of…

> it might become more interesting to dig long tunnels under cities for these trains rather than increasing the train's maximum speed.

South Korea built >50 km tunnel out of Seoul for this reason. It opened in 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yulhyeon_Tunnel

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#72
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The maglev they built 17 years ago for a billion dollars? China has been using maglevs for a long time. The low-medium maglevs seem quite useful too: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/china-driverless-maglev-t... Someday they’ll probably replace their 19,000 miles (soon 25,000) of high-speed rail with maglevs. In the United States, people couldn’t be convinced to build high-speed rail and now the land is expensive.

> Someday they’ll probably replace their 19,000 miles (soon 25,000) of high-speed rail with maglevs. Not necessarily and definitely not soon. Maglev isn't strictly better (unless it's also suitable for cargo trains or China doesn't use their high-speed rail for cargo at all -- not even at night). Replacing high-speed rail by maglev means that you're basically replacing high-speed rail with somewhat higher-speed rail…

Replacing 225 mph trains with 400 mph maglevs should be worth it, especially on long routes like the 800 mile trip between Shanghai and Beijing.

I didn’t say it would be easy or cheap. I’m sure there are lots of details to consider.

China, however, has no problem doing large infrastructure projects.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#74
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Democratic values? As in, the one who receives the most votes will win the election?

Few western countries have a majority votes takes all system, that does not necessarily make them undemocratic. Both Spain and Norway that I know we'll have proportional systems where the number of votes are not necessarily aligned with the number of seats in parliament. A vote in one region might be worth more than another. Proportional systems are designed from what I understand to balance the power between the pop…

Which I consider outright discrimination. Why exactly would the vote of one individual be less or more worth then a vote from another individual?

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#75
post #29

The cabin is interesting. There doesn't seem to be much visibility through the windows. I guess at such speeds the driver can only rely on information feeds from far up ahead, and there's little advantage to being able to see with the naked eye. Large windows would probably make it less safe in the event of flying debris too. It makes me wonder why not get rid of them all together and make the cabin like a tank. To g…

Don't forget the physiological aspect on the driver too, Just having the windows, useful or not, would contribute to better wellbeing as opposed to a windowless box. After all, the drivers cab is a workplace.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#76
post #33
post #15

I’ve ridden on the Changsha Maglev, China’s first indigenous maglev and I was thoroughly unimpressed. The ride was rough and quite slow, nothing like their High Speed Rail which is world leading. I’m surprised they’d be able to develop world leading technology so quickly. But then again for areas of strategic interest we’ve seen China make similar bounds before. Makes me wonder how their Made in China 2025 efforts in…

Most of their "world leading" High Speed Rail, as you call it, is actually using Siemens Velaro D/E rolling stock — the same train used in Europe as "ICE" or for some of the Eurostar lines :)

Siemens Velaro have gigantic issues in good old Germany. And China has indeed homegrown machines, such as the CRH380A or the CR400AF.

Further, there is also a lot of shit tier technology in Germany. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-Bahn

Siemens is actually still offering that system. If you ride it, you will wonder how it was possible to combine all disadvantages of all existing people mover rail technology and to produce that.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And to fix that let's do what ? a) spy on our citizens, on our alleys, use demagogy, propaganda and anti-science b) do what we want others to do and we say we do c) find a reason and just attack them(or similar shit), put our preferred government

Uphold our liberal western values and insist on the rule by law and compliance with treaties, leveraging all the soft power available to ensure it. In China, there is no freedom of speech or expression (only what's tolerated by the state). Laws only exist for convenience and are ignored when the state finds it inconvenient or if they decide to punish and individual or group of indidviduals. History should have though…

I would agree with you if US would do it consistently, but when you try to accuse country A of doing X and not sell them CPUs and you sell weapons to country B that does does X too is hypocritical.

So I am with you let's respect all the international treaties and apply everything the same. IF country A commits a genocide and we invade it then we should do the same if country B does the same thing, not do it when is economically or politically convenient.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#78
post #2

I really wish we had high speed rail in Australia. I'd pick a 600km/h train over a plane any day.

High speed train works well in France (and it's just 300km/h) because the country is small. Australia is huge. And so is the US. This would make sense along coasts though but you wouldn't be able to cross the country from sea to sea in a few hours of course. What's good with trains is that you can hop in at the very last moment (when the bell rings, happened to me a couple times) and the train stops in the center of…

Here in the UK we enjoy low speed trains every day. ;)

Just seeing this stuff in other countries really makes me sad about how my countries technological developments have been left to rot.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#79
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Someday they’ll probably replace their 19,000 miles (soon 25,000) of high-speed rail with maglevs. Not necessarily and definitely not soon. Maglev isn't strictly better (unless it's also suitable for cargo trains or China doesn't use their high-speed rail for cargo at all -- not even at night). Replacing high-speed rail by maglev means that you're basically replacing high-speed rail with somewhat higher-speed rail…

Replacing 225 mph trains with 400 mph maglevs should be worth it, especially on long routes like the 800 mile trip between Shanghai and Beijing. I didn’t say it would be easy or cheap. I’m sure there are lots of details to consider. China, however, has no problem doing large infrastructure projects.

> Replacing 225 mph trains with 400 mph maglevs should be worth it, especially on long routes like the 800 mile trip between Shanghai and Beijing.

That's 2h vs 3.5h, not taking into account acceleration. Time on a train can be used productively, so it isn't lost. Taking opportunity costs into account, it may or may not be worth it. I'm also not sure if 225 mph is the physical limit of conventional trains.

Also, faster trains don't necessarily make the network faster. Especially when using an integrated time table, you can run trains slower (or let them wait, but that has the same effect and wastes energy) to improve connections, thus reducing waiting times and ultimately getting people faster to their destinations. I don't know how China's railways work in detail though and they may very well optimize for making Shanghai-Beijing fast.

> China, however, has no problem doing large infrastructure projects.

That may change when they have to spend more on maintenance as their infrastructure grows and ages. Also, the question is not whether they can replace their HSR with maglevs -- of course they can -- but whether the party considers it the best use of resources, also compared to other large infrastructure projects.

Re: China unveils 600 kph maglev train prototype

#80
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always wondered about this as well. It seems like a nobrainer especially in SE Australia. Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, up to Brisbaine. Although 600km/h would probably be unnecessarily fast and not economically viable on these routes, a normal 300+ HSR would surely provide huge benefits.

Sydney-Melbourne is indeed no brainer. It is one of the busiest air route in the world.

Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane, even. Between those three, there's over 2,000 flights a week. The land issues are also easier than in most places.

Ultimately though, these routes are pretty well serviced by flights. These trains are pretty amazing, but not cheaper or faster than flights.

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