BEIJING — A wire service reports that a section of the world’s first commercial high-speed magnetic-levitation train has been delivered to China.
Three train cars were unloaded Friday in Shanghai, where the “maglev” line will run from the city’s financial district to one of its two airports. The train, which rides on a cushion of magnetism instead of wheels, will carry up to 600 passengers at 250 mph (400 kph).
The line is scheduled to open in 2003 after a trial run later this year.
German firms that have spent decades and billions of dollars developing maglev hope to use the Shanghai train as a model to show prospective buyers. China has bought three trains — 15 cars — so far from the consortium made up of engineering companies Siemens and ThyssenKrupp.
The German firms are supplying the trains and stations, while Chinese companies are building the magnetic track. Neither side has disclosed a price, though the Germans say their portion should cost less than dlrs 950 million.
Maglev uses powerful magnets to hold trains a fraction of an inch (centimeter) from the track and drive them with little noise or vibration.
Critics say maglev is too expensive and will waste energy. They say Japanese, French and German high-speed trains using standard rails can go nearly as fast and have already proven their reliability.