Re: Maglev in the news again

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@ozemail.com.au>]

"David Bromage" <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
yZKb6.35$d76.2049@news0.optus.net.au">news:yZKb6.35$d76.2049@news0.optus.net.au...
> The Member for Cunningham is spouting maglev again in today's Illawarra
> Mercury. He cites the Shanghai airport deal as proof that Transrapid is no
> longer in the design and test track stage.
>

Could we have a little more detail, please David.  Has Shanghai's new
airport actually signed a construction contract?  If so, they've been
shanghied (bad joke). I had a look at Transrapid's website (English
version), which says nothing about the deal.  All I can glean from a search
engine is that Transrapid did a feasibility study for the airport
authorities, naturally if you got Transrapid to do a study they would say it
was feasible!   The fact that Shanghai Municipal authorities actually paid
$784,000 (US) to Transrapid for the study to boot shows how gullible they
are!  See:

http://www.janes.com/transport/news/aim/aim000726_4_n.shtml

 Transrapid's website showing a maglev train with DB logo (Deutsche
Bundesbahn) is a bit of a con, since DB rejected their proposal.  Like
Switzerland which produces monorails (Von Roll brand)  but sees the light
and doesn't have any of its own, Germany doesn't want to want to give up
foisting its unwanted technology on other countries.

Regards

David Bennetts