Re: Transrapid abandons Sydney-Canberra

[mdeen@xs4.xs4all.nl (Maarten Deen)]

David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au> writes:
>Maarten Deen wrote:
>> David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au> writes:
>> >Maarten Deen wrote:
>> >> FYI: the planned line Berlin-Hamburg wil be some 290 km long and the planned
>> >> yourney time is just under 1 hour.
>> >Actually it's 292km in exactly 1 hour, or 292km/h. From a maximum speed
>> >of 430km/h, that's a shockingly low average speed.
>> 
>> That's because on large parts (rural areas) the maximum speed is limited
>> to 250 or even as low as 160 km/h. It's not a line to accelerate to
>> 400+ and then decelerate for the next stop.

>But why? Transrapid says their train is so quiet!

True. At 230 km/h it's more quiet than an ordinary train at 100 km/h (own
experience), but at 400 km/h, you'll be startled if you don't expect it.
It's an experience like the wind blows a door shut, you don't expect it,
don't hear it coming and it's quite a loud noise (although does not last
long).

>> I agree, but which parts are in your eyes fiction?

>The power consumption figure. Even these dubious figures are cooked because
>they pack passengers in like sardines. They claim it is so much more efficient
>per seat than an ICE3, but the 1st class seat pitch in a TR08 is smaller than
>2nd class in an ICE3. The ICE3 also has a much larger buffet, and a bar.

I have no information on how the seating will be in TR08. TR07 was very spacious.
The body is wider than ICE (which is wide in itself) and the seats (4 abreast
with aisle) are much wider than ICE 1st class seats. The distanceto the seat
in front (is that the pitch?) is the same as in ICE 1st class.

But as I said, I don't know how the TR08 will be like. From august there
will be test and demonstration rides in Lathen, I am thinking of going there
again. I would recommend it to anyone who is in the vicinity!

>They rely on 12-15 million passenger journeys per year to make an operating
>profit, but there are currently only 6.2 million passenger journeys per
>year 
>by all modes of transport. And of these modes, air has the smallest share.

They already stated that the planned 20-minute interval whould not be
profitable at start, and will be changed to a 60-minute interval.

>They also seem to neglect to mention that a 2-car TR uses as much power
>to levitate as an ICE running at 120km/h.

I'll have to look this up (in TR brochures...) but I believe this is not
correct. I had a figure of 6MW @ 430 km/h and 1.2MW @ 120 km/h in mind.
I don't know the powerconsumption at differing speeds of an ICE, but
maximum is 9.6MW.
But as I said, I can't imagine scaling up from 2 to 10 cars will not
increase the powerconsumtion significantly.

Cheers,

Maarten