The CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co. , a completely owned subsidiary of China unveiled a single car maglev train prototype which has a maximum speed of 600 km/h. The prototype was unveiled to the media on 23rd May in the port city of Qingdao, located in the eastern Chinese province Shandong.
The manufacturers believe that once operational, the train will give competition to the country’s airline industry. The current Chinese high speed trains have a peak speed of 350 km/h while the cruising speed of an aircraft is 900 km/h. A 600 km/h maglev train can reduce the gap between high speed train and airlines.
It has been considered a major breakthrough for the country’s high speed train technology. According to experts, China is now one step closer to production capacity in high speed maglev engineering.
“The testing prototype, which has one car only, can check and optimize the key technologies and core system components of the high-speed maglev system and lay a technological basis for the forthcoming engineering prototype”, said Ding Sansan, head of the train’s research and development team and deputy chief engineer of CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co.
“Now the prototype has achieved static levitation and is in good condition”, he said. A five carriage prototype is also under development.
This is one of the key projects in the 13th 5 year plan (2016-2021) of the Ministry of Science & Technology as a part of advancing in the railway industry. The prototype is expected to be made ready for commercial manufacturing from 2021 after going through comprehensive tests.
CRRC Qingdao Sifang launched a key state-level research and development program in July 2016 participated by 30 companies, universities and research institutes to develop high speed maglev trains.
“After nearly three years’ efforts, the team has made breakthroughs in major core technologies of the high-speed maglev trains and achieved important initial results in the sub-systems, including the locomotive vehicle, traction and operational control communication”, said Ding.
The only currently active maglev train in China was started in Shanghai in 2003 for fast travelling service between downtown Shanghai and the Pudong airport covering 30kms.It uses German technology and has a maximum speed of 430 km/h.
Japan is still a big rival to China in bullet train development and high-speed maglev train technology. A Japanese maglev train achieved a speed of 603 km/h in 2015.Japan is also planning to bring 500 km/h trains into operation by 2027.
Maglev trains have many advantages as compared to bullet trains like reduced noise & vibration, larger capacity, low maintenance cost, more safety & reliability and on-time performances.
By:- Nikhil Vatsa
