Re: Very fast train fiasco

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

David Bennetts (davibenn@ozemail.com.au) wrote:
> He has it wrong that conventional trains will jump tracks at over 350 km/h -
> I'd be intrigued to see what would happen to Maglev at over 350 km/h if it
> simply lost power,

Transrapid says it has enough on board power to continue levitation until
it slows down to the next emergency station. I'm not convinced. I'm also
concerned that the only place you can evacuate is at stations.

How do you evacuate on elevated sections if it does become stranded?
Particularly in the case of an on board fire. They don't carry emergency
slides like an aircraft.

You don't have to think too far to see that a simultaneous power failure
and fire could be related.

> Also Maglev isn't
> more energy efficient than conventional wheel on rail, the proponents
> typically compare a two car Maglev with maximum seating and no facilities
> such as buffet with seven car + ICE sets, like comparing apples and oranges.

Transrapid seat pitches are roughly comparable to that of a domestic
aircraft, not a train. First class on Transrapid is more cramped than
second/economy class on an ICE or XPT.

Cheers
David