TRANSRAPID MONTHLY
Transcript of TRANSRAPID MONTHLY
TRANSRAPID MONTHLY ISSUE 4/2020 (04), 29
TH JUNE 2020
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
& more!
THE TRANSRAPID TRACK - WHAT LED THE WAY page 3 “EINE RUNDFAHRT IM TRANSRAPID TR09” - REVIEW page 5
WELCOME AGAIN!
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I welcome you warmly in the 4th issue of Transrapid Monthly. Today, the topics which will be
covered are truly diverse. We will be talking about the Transrapidstrecke, 3D imaging tech-
nology (stereo imagery), we will take a detailed look onto the Electric Flying train and delib-
erate on the historical motives for plagiarism being widely accepted in China, we will com-
pare the Transrapid SMT and the Transrapid 08, while presenting arguments for and against calling
the Transrapid SMT a variation of the TR08, and finally, to end on a good note, we’ll talk about a
late 90s simulation of how the future Berlin would look like. Just one quick note before we start,
the crossword puzzle from the previous issue was not solved by anyone, and that’s why the con-
test is still ongoing. Now, on with the magazine.
Sincerely,
The Transrapid Monthly
editorial team.
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Inside the issue: The Transrapid track - what led the way page 3
The true motor of innovation in Emsland.
„Eine Rundfahrt im Transrapid TR09” - Review page 5
The only 3D film about the Transrapid - is it any good?
Electric Flying Train - we know the specifications page 6
...and why the Chinese copied the Germans in the first place.
Transrapid SMT and how is it different from its German brother page 7
Should it be considered as a separate model?
Berlin 2010 - the future that never came page 8
Check out how „Berlin 2010” was connected with the Transrapid.
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by Tytus Dunin
The true motor of innovation in Emsland.
THE TRANSRAPID TRACK-WHAT LED THE WAY
T he Transrapidstrecke is undoubtedly the most essential
part of the whole Transrapid system. While the sleek and
well-designed Transrapid vehicle acts mostly as an eye-
catcher, the maglev track does nearly all the work that
comes with magnetically
transporting people at incredibly
high speeds, although with one
asterisk – the vehicle contains the
support magnets and the equipment
used to monitor and adjust the
distance between the vehicle and the
track, which are contained in the
Schweberahmen (suspension frame). With that said, it is truly
astounding that not much is said about the track. This leads many
people to believe that the facility in Emsland was built in one go,
divided between concrete and steel guideway types, alternatively, if
someone is more invested into the matter, knows that a small section
of the hybrid track was inserted into the track. This couldn’t be
further from the truth – the facility evolved massively with the
experience gained throughout continuous testing and was often
modernized throughout its life span. So, without further ado, let’s
dive into the story you probably didn’t know.
I have to say, this article would not be possible without an
incredibly in-depth report by Ren Shibo of the Delft University of
Technology. His arduous work contained in the „Dynamic Simulation
of the Maglev Guideway Design” apart from the detailed history
about how the guideway evolved in over 25 years, it contains a mind-
boggling amount of technical information and physics calculations.
I’ll start with the Hamburg track from IVA ’79, where the
Transrapid 05 transported passengers from Heiligengeistfeld to the
expo center. On a side note, I skipped the TR04 and everything before
that, simply because those guideways were extremely different from
the final design used on the TVE. Back to Hamburg in the late 70s –
the guideway used there was a fully steel 906m track, which was still
quite different in design from its Emsland descendants, different
enough to validate calling it an „early prototype” and not count it into
the final tally of maglev track generations.
The first generation concrete and steel tracks (C1 & S1) were
constructed in Emsland
during the first stage of
construction (1981-1983)
when the north loop and a
part of the central straight
line were erected. In this
section, the C1 was made
out of prestressed
concrete by the
engineering company
Dywidag. At the same
time, the S1 was
constructed. The easiest
way to differentiate between the two types is that the S1 has a
distinct triangle-shaped base, while the C1 has a more rounded
design, and also the S1 contains a steel tube as a chord on the
bottom.
During the second construction phase (1984-1986), the TVE
was finished after the second loop was constructed, closing the track.
The south part of the track was fitted with the new and improved C2
and S2, the second generation of the concrete and steel tracks. Those
new guideways incorporated
different designs and
solutions based on
knowledge and experience
obtained from the first
construction stage.
Ultimately, the new
generations of the
Transrapid guideway are very
similar to the previous
generation, albeit with a
couple of changes to the
designs which streamlined the process of installation.
Based on the research which took place on the grounds of the
TVE in the 80s, the engineers isolated the biggest flaw in the previous
two generations of the track: the dirt sediments on the top of the
guideway girders and solar radiation, which caused an undesirable
high bulging of these girders, which caused disturbances during the
operation of the Transrapid.
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Based on this newfound knowledge, the engineers created the third
generation of both guideway types, C3 and S3. The most visible
change is the further
adjustment of the top
component of the
track, which, in the case
of the concrete
guideway was further
rounded, and in the case of the steel type, the bottom chord was
changed from a steel pipe to a flat bar. Only the concrete version was
installed into the track in Emsland, which happened in 1990.
However, arguably the biggest leap forward happened in the
years 1995-1999. With the plans for the Hamburg-Berlin line
maturing, the engineers had to improve the track in such a way, that
it would stand up to altitude changes, which are inevitable on long
intercity routes. This period brought a truly refreshing change of pace.
Both the existing
versions of the
guideway, C4
and S4, were
split up into
three types:
Type 1, elevated; Type 2, at-grade and Type 3, which was a special
version of the Type 2 track, that had a custom two-span girder of 6.2
m intended to be used in tunnels or on bridges. This generation also
brought the ultimate version of the maglev guideway, the Hybrid
Track. Its mission was to
combine the advantages of
steel and concrete
guideways while avoiding
their respective
disadvantages. The task of
resistance to all attacking effects into the substructure is to be
economically taken by a prestressed concrete box girder, while the
functional components with sliding strip, lateral guidance rail, and
stator are made of steel. The first generation of the hybrid track, the
H1, was installed into the Transrapidstrecke in Emsland.
After 1999, the development of the steel guideway was
discontinued (apart from the switches) and subsequently replaced by
the next generations of the concrete guideway and the second
generation of the Hybridträger. The latter one, H2, is the one that was
implemented into the Shanghai Airport Link. Based on the experience
with the H1 hybrid track, the H2 was further adjusted for better
performance, mainly by applying a larger base to the guideway. The
other concrete tracks were: the C5, also known as the Munich Girder,
which was created by Max Bögl for the Munich Airport Link and
featured an unadjustable base, which forced the engineers to apply
support wedges, and the C6, also called the MSB-Track-2010, which
was engineered by Züblin and featured a fully flat base. Both of those
versions were inserted into the south loop in 2006.
Despite this being my longest article to date, believe it or not,
there is a lot more information that I haven’t mentioned here, so you
can anticipate a sequel which will finally once-and-for-all quench your
thirst for knowledge about the Transrapidstrecke. For now, please
enjoy the rest of the magazine.
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by Tytus Dunin
The only 3D film about the Transrapid - is it any good?
“EINE RUNDFAHRT IM TRANSRAPID TR09” - REVIEW
W ith the 3D Television fad of the early 2010s, you
wouldn’t think that somebody actually made a 3D
movie all about the Transrapid. After all, just
when 3D was being incorporated into more and
more television sets, the Transrapid was nearing retirement. What is
“Eine Rundfahrt im Transrapid TR09” and is it any good?
Everything goes back to 2009, when the highly-acclaimed
smash hit movie “Avatar” was released and brought back 3D into the
mainstream. You see, the 3D effect was utilized for nearly as long as
the regular camera itself. The first stereo camera was invented in
1847 by Sir David Brewster and Jules Dubosq. The technology caught
on for a while, with many renowned manufacturers, such as Kodak,
producing their own stereo cameras. These apparatuses could cap-
ture two images on the film strip, which could then be viewed using
special binoculars. I’ve got a chance to test this solution in the
Deutsches Technikmuseum in Berlin, where you can see and experi-
ment with a lot of retro imaging technology. Anyways, after fading
into obscurity, the stereo image resurfaced in 2009 and brought in
new ways the average consumer could interact with it on the daily.
From the aforementioned 3D Television to the glass-less 3D in the
Nintendo 3DS, the 3D craze took the developed world by storm once
again. This fad coincided with the introduction of the CMOS chip in
nearly all cameras and the eradication of the last traces of any analog
signal by a global switch to digital technology in TV and radio signals.
These two milestones made it possible for the 3D cameras to be more
affordable than ever, which laid the foundation for the HD-TVE pro-
ject, courtesy of the Association for the Advancement of Maglev Tech-
nologies (Transrapid), most commonly known from their website, pro-
transrapid.org. This project, apart from accomplishing to capture the
(then) working TVE in the (then) new High Definition imaging quality.
In my opinion, the most groundbreaking recording is the “Eine Rund-
fahrt im Transrapid TR09”, which managed to faithfully capture what
a ride onboard the TR09 looked like by using the stereo camera. This
film managed to capture a lot more than just the chair moquette on
the TR09, so let’s try to analyze it in greater detail.
Thanks to the fact
that I own a 3DTV that uti-
lizes a polarized 3D system,
I could enjoy the HQ video
in its full clarity. So, what is
“Eine Rundfahrt im
Transrapid TR09”? In a nut-
shell, it shows how the TVE and the TR09 function on a regular day.
Aside from a lot of shots from the inside of the vehicle, it shows a va-
riety of views of the outside and the surroundings. I have to say, this
flick is probably the only one that managed to capture the TR09’s Füh-
rerstand in operation, which, surprisingly, isn’t the only element from
the TR09 that it managed to give an exclusive look onto. There’s also
the PIT, or the Passenger Information Terminal. You might have seen
it on pictures from the TR09 in Nortrup, but you might not have
known that this screen actually used to display useful information,
such as the speed and the current position on the Teststrecke.
Unfortunately, despite
this movie showing many inter-
esting elements of the TVE,
which were never seen before
by the broader Transrapid fan
community, it has a few down-
sides. First and foremost – the
biggest downside was probably
the viewing comfort. This prob-
lem is widespread among many
amateur 3D movies, not just
this one. The problem is with
the major focus changes be-
tween the cuts. In all 3D feature
films, the camera operators are constantly optimizing the screenwrit-
er’s vision to be comfortable for the viewers. You see, the change in
focus needs to be slow and minimal between shots, otherwise it can
cause fatigue. In “Eine Rundfahrt im Transrapid TR09”, the change
between some shots is drastic – one second you’re looking into the
TR09 accelerating into the distance, and next up it cuts to a closeup
onto the window. The 3D effect is just that – an effect, an illusion. It
does fool the brain, but it doesn’t quite fool the eye. After a rapid
change of perspective, you have to force your eyes into focus, be-
cause otherwise, they’re unable to follow such a rapid change in a
barely-believable illusion. Secondly, please, never ever add big and
bold subtitles onto a 3D movie – not only can it be a distraction, but
also you have to refocus back onto a 2D plane of your TV screen just
to get them in focus.
In conclusion, “Eine Rundfahrt im Transrapid TR09” is a very
interesting movie, just not something I
would revisit. Despite the majority of
shots being quite good, this film should
be treated as a preservation of the trip
and not as an entertaining experience,
since the fatigue during the viewing is
substantial. Anyways, If you want to ex-
perience the movie first-hand, you can
download it from the link behind the QR
code.
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by Tytus Dunin
...and why the Chinese copied the Germans in the first place.
ELECTRIC FLYING TRAIN– WE KNOW THE SPECIFICATIONS
T he Electric Flying Train with its sister models is truly an
endless well of information and trivia. What started as
stumbling across some images from a defunct maglev-
themed forum evolved into a community-wide hunt for
more information which lies behind the “Great Firewall of China”. In
this article, apart from endowing you with more knowledge about this
project, I’ll try to explain the whole phenomenon of Chinese manufac-
turers just ripping off western brands, which, contrary to what you
might believe, isn’t a sign of Chinese people being evil copycats – as,
with everything, it’s much more complicated.
Let’s start with something light-hearted – EFT’s specs. Accord-
ing to jnnews.zj.cn, the Electric Flying Train can reach the speed of
500 km/h, is about 30% cheaper to manufacture than the official SMT
vehicles, incorporates 112 seats in a section, which is 27 meters long.
Compared to the original Transrapid SMT, it is quite similar, having
approximately the
same length, alt-
hough the official
vehicle has fewer
seats per section
(2nd class) – from
78 to 110. The EFT
also features a smaller distance between the track and the magnets as
compared to the SMT – 8 mm to 10 mm.
The EFT was made by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, a
Chinese company specializing in aircraft development and manufac-
turing. Some sections were constructed by the Changchun Vehicle
Factory. As Jnnews reports, “Throughout the construction of the train,
Southwest Jiaotong University, Tongji University, National University
of Defense Technology, and Northwestern Polytechnical University
have all provided technical
support or guidance”. Dai
Qianchang, the chief of the
project promised more im-
provements compared to
the SMT, such as a reduc-
tion of noise and vibration,
improved air conditioning,
and subsidizing rivets with
glue, which supposedly improves safety in an event of a crash. Also, as
we can deduct from the pictures, the seats received a new moquette,
the cabin was slightly modified, and (at least) one of the screens in
the Führerstand is monochrome, just as the one in the TR07.
Lastly, I’d like to deliberate on one specific aspect of this whole
phenomenon. In western culture, copying (even with a permit) is gen-
erally frowned upon.
We’re accustomed to the
fact that the copies are
usually worse in most
aspects as compared to
the original, and, general-
ly, it is seen as unfair to
the people who created
the original product. This,
however, is not the case
in Asian cultures
(specifically China), where
the Confucian clerisy and
their methods of teaching
revolved around meticu-
lous copying and, some-
times, a slight modifica-
tion of various texts
written by their masters
and learning them by
heart. This method was perceived as the definitive way to teach one-
self, and it is coming back in today’s Chinese education system and
has a monumental influence on the diversion between China’s copy-
right law and the western one. A
recent example of this is the
“Game for Peace”, which is a clone
of the hit game “Playerunknown’s
Battlegrounds”. Surprisingly, this
clone was created with the permis-
sion of the creators of PUGB, which
sold a license to create this clone
to Tencent, a huge Chinese international media conglomerate. This
clone was created specifically to provide an alternative to PUBG for
Chinese players, as the current version of this game doesn’t comply
with China’s entertainment regulations. Similarly, as we recently
found out, many parts of the EFT were actually licensed by
ThyssenKrupp, and those which weren’t licensed were developed by
Chinese engineers from the ground
up. Turns out the Electric Flying Train
isn’t really a shameless knockoff, and
we can only wait and see what will
come out of Tongji’s current project:
The Sifang. Tests of a carriage are be-
ing conducted on the University track
right now, and the QR code will lead
you to the video showing you just
that.
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by Tytus Dunin
Should it be considered as a separate model?
TRANSRAPID SMT AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM ITS GERMAN BROTHER
T he Transrapid SMT is quite an oddity in the finely crafted
line of the German maglev trains we all know and love. It
proved wrong anyone skeptical of Transrapid’s success in
commercial applications. However, the astonishment
didn’t last long, as the critics quickly settled on the conclusion that the
Shanghai Maglev Train was merely a vanity project for China. Looking
back, it is hard not to agree with the skeptics, as is indicated by com-
paring the planning stages of other projects with the Shanghai one –
the West was much more precarious and mindful of the economics
and the feasibility of the projects. China’s approach seemed much
more quixotic, kindled by a ride onboard the Transrapid 08 by, then
prime minister of China, Zhu Rongji. Alas, it seems that the world,
apart from its “lavish” parts, wasn’t ready to invest in such a revolu-
tionary technology. Eventually, such a phenomenon comes back full
circle, as evident by today’s literal pipe dream – the hyperloop. How-
ever, let’s not get sidetracked too much, as today’s topic is the SMT.
How does it compare to the TR08?
Despite the popular belief, the so-called “Transrapid SMT” is
not a subsequent model of the Transrapid after the TR08. It is, de jure,
a regional version of the TR08 prepared specifically for the Shanghai
Airport Line. If you’ve seen any photographs of the SMT, you’ll most
likely agree with me that it is evidently a variant of the TR08 – com-
paring the windows, the doors, the emergency sleeves, and the over-
all shape. However, if pictures aren’t your thing, then may I suggest…
a diagram?
Ah, much more clear now. But, as you may spot, per contra to
what I just said, this is where the TR08 and the SMT start to drift
apart, at least design-wise. We can ramble on and on about how the
lighting compartment is similar and how the 1st class seats are exactly
the same (yes, at some point the TR08 had 1st class seats), but the
minute differences are worthwhile, so let’s examine them.
Obviously, the most evident distinction between those two variations
is the sudden break in the seating arrangement in the middle of every
section – this space is used both as a luggage compartment and as an
extra air-conditioning unit, meant for further improving the passenger
comfort in the extremely variable weather of eastern China. Other
changes, that are not observable on the diagram are the removal of
glass doors between sections, the removal of the toilet (we have no
images, unfortunately), and implementing a new and improved
Tragkufe. The Tragkufe (carrying sled) was a special emergency sys-
tem meant to be used in an event of an emergency brake to deceler-
ate quickly and would prevent the Schweberahmen from smashing
into the track. As the name suggests, it worked a lot like a sled. This
system was already implemented in the TR07 and the TR08, but in
combination with the track types present on the TVE, it had a problem
with excessive degradation. The new sled, made out of carbon fiber,
in combination with the Hybridträger used on the Shanghai Airport
Link provided a substantial improvement of the degradation issue –
the new skids had a degradation rate of 0.03 mm/km.
In conclusion, while the Transrapid SMT is not the TR08 with a
fresh coat of paint, it does retain a lot of solutions and design cues
from its predecessor. The differences surely push the SMT towards
being a different model, but the similarities just barely hold it as a
different version of the TR08, making it lie somewhere in between
those two options. If I had to use one term to describe its diversion
from the TR08, I would call it either an “update” or a “revision”.
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by Tytus Dunin
Check out how „Berlin 2010” was connected with the Transrapid.
BERLIN 2010 - THE FUTURE THAT NEVER CAME
H ow often do you see simulations of the future? If
you’re like me, they aren’t a common occurrence for
you. However, 1997’s citizens of Berlin could
experience just that in the heart of the capital – all
thanks to a collaboration project courtesy of Artemedia and Silicon
Graphics. Its name? “Berlin 2010 – Virtual City Concept”. Even though
the name might not hint any connection with the Transrapid, and in
fairness, the whole project barely mentions the maglev, but I’d argue
the story is still worth telling.
The story begins in 1994, when Artemedia started developing
the virtual mockup of how the Hauptstadt would look in 2010.
According to Andreas Vorsteher, the chief executive of Artemedia at
the time, the mockup was modeled after satellite imagery and official
urban planning data. In 1997, the first stage of the mockup was
finished and presented to the
public in an eye-catching red
„Infobox”, which stood near the
Postdamer Platz, which, mind
you, was not even close to it’s
today state. Back then, the city's
skyline was dominated by a
forest of cranes, which were
featured on the best-selling postcards. Building yards had become the
top tourist attractions. Inside this grotesque-looking red building, the
exhibition was housed. This exhibition, called „Forum Mediale”
allowed Berlin research institutions and their partners to present
themselves in business. Universities, museums, libraries, and hospitals
in the city were able to show how they imagined their work in the
information society
Apart from roughly visualizing the future skyline of Berlin,
Artemedia prepared a few more detailed 3D models, in which the
interior could be viewed. Such a building was the Lehrter Bahnhof,
known today as the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. The exhibition allowed
visitors to take a look inside the railway station and see the intricate
platforms and stairways. But, the Bahnhof mockup housed something
else. By the time the exhibition was unveiled to the public, the Berling
-Hamburg
Transrapid route
was still being
considered. That’s
why Artemedia’s
version of the
Bahnhof features a
platform for the
Transrapid; as you
can see on this
route plan, the
Lehrter Bahnhof is the terminus of this particular line. What’s even
more interesting, while the visitors were enjoying the architecture,
the simulation would imitate scheduled day-to-day activity on the
station. That means we could take a look at how the Transrapid would
look in operation.
As you can see, this early version of the simulation contained a
prototype model of the TR08, as it’s outward appearance wasn’t
finalized by that time. But what’s even more interesting, is the fact
that the mockup was developed over the years and subsequently
updated. One of the updated versions was featured on a VHS cassette
distributed by Artemedia, showcasing the Lehrter Bahnhof. This video
was produced in 1999, which, as you may know, is the year the
Transrapid 08 left the assembly line. In this video (and the updated
exhibition), the final appearance of the TR08 was featured.
TRANSRAPID MONTHLY
T H A N K Y O U F O R R E A D I N G