D502 TRANSRAPID-Transport Technology for the Mobility of the Future

Abstract

The Transrapid development, funded by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research up to the certification as a public transport system in 2000 and since that time funded by the Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing, is an illustrative example of a successful large-scale technical development project. Close cooperation between the government, railway agency and German Railway as the potential user of the system, industry and science, sharing different tasks in the project phases, made it possible to develop a rail system with totally new technology and to prove its positive characteristics. In spring of 2002,the German Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing finished an investigation into the regional use for the maglev technology in Germany for the connection between airports and city centres and conurbations. The German maglev technology-originally designed for long distance transport-will now be adjusted via a further development program to meet the specific needs of regional transport. The operation and the maintenance of the Transrapid test track in Emsland (TVE) will support the implementation of the new types of guideway construction and optimized components for vehicle, propulsion and control technology. The implementation of two Maglev lines in Bavaria and North-Rhine Westphalia is expected by the beginning of 2005. In the course of international technology cooperation, a contract with FRA was signed in 2001,setting the stage for the joint development safety, licensing and environmental norms for a maglev system. In May 2001 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the People's Republic of China. The German government has guaranteed its support for the technology transfer in the area of high speed travel to china which resulted in the successful VIP-run on 31st of December 2002.