(Agence France Press distributed the following article on August 18.)
SHANGHAI — The world’s first magnetic levitation train for commercial use, the ‘maglev’, is set to reopen to the public in China for tourist rides.
After a string of equipment problems, the 430 kilometre an hour (260 miles an hour) train that connects Shanghai’s Pudong airport with the city’s financial district will partly reopen on October 1, the Shanghai Daily reported.
But normal service on the 30 kilometre track will not resume until some time next year.
“Beginning in October, three maglev trains will simultaneously carry out business operations for sightseeing purposes on major holidays and weekends,” Chen Yifan of Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co. was quoted as saying.
The city began promoting tourist rides on its 10 billion yuan (1.2 billion US dollars) German-built train last January after German and Chinese officials inaugurated the line on New Year’s Day.
Operations though were suspended during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS (news – web sites )) outbreak which was followed by equipment problems with the stator windings — a special cable that converts electricity to power the trains.
A report by the Oriental Morning Post said replacing the windings would cost up to 35 million euros (39.4 million dollars).
Chen said the German partners have promised to compensate.
China is planning to build several new high-speed rail links, including a Beijing to Shanghai line.
Japan, France and Germany are competing for the contract to develop a super-fast train connecting China’s two main cities in a deal worth an estimated 100 billion yuan.
State media reported last week however that China may use its own technology on the line, although officials are still said to be wanting to compare construction costs and other terms, including the transfer of technologies.