Re: Very fast train fiasco

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <jjd%5.4048$%v1.132773@ozemail.com.au>,
David Bennetts <davibenn@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>
>"Geoff Lillico" <glillic@msn.com.au> wrote in message
>p8X_5.160282$e5.122510@newsfeeds.bigpond.com">news:p8X_5.160282$e5.122510@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
>> Yes, I guess you could say it was supporting VFT. He seemed to be of the
>> opinion that Tilt Trains carried freight as well as passengers. When he
>got
>> on to Maglev he made no comment that it was unsuitable for freight.
>>
>>
>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, it has no wheels so the skids under it would come into
>operation, there'd probably be a great fireworks display as the skids became
>red hot and the screeching noise would be incredible.

 The Transrapid trains could derail to I suspect. The levitation on the
transrapid system is 'active' and closely controled by special computers.
Transrapid like to say its impossible to derail, but if those levitation
computers failed at speed and the train went passive, it could get such a
wobble that it could break free of the guide rail and fly clear, certainly
once it started to lift and the air flow got under it.
 Presumably those levitation control computers are multiply redundant to 
minimise the chance of this.
 Their reaction plates on the guide way also have a tendance to vibrate loose,
so careful maintence is needed. No saving over dual rail there.

 At least the Japanese system appears less reliant on fancy controls to
levitate, their system runs on wheels and only levitated as a side effect of
propulsion. The japanese also levitate a lot higher, as what ever they build
needs to cope with earthquakes :-)

 End result - the two most advanced maglev systems, neither of which have any
commercial applications are completely incompatable with one another.
 The three VHST contenders (Japanese, German and French) at least run on a
common design of 'guideway' and if you buy one now, you could always buy a
transet from one of the competitors later.

 Of course the Transrapid people neglect to mention and the journos never
realise that at the speeds were are talking about rolling friction is not the
problem. Its now all down to aerodynmaics.

 All systems are low flying aircraft. :-)