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Stumble‘Bullet train’ operator pitches technology for rail projects
Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009 | 1:50 a.m.
Sun Archives
- High-speed rail proving ground proposed in North Las Vegas (12-6-2009)
- Shanghai’s maglev: Flying with both feet on the ground (11-13-2009)
- Backers of less traditional high-speed projects air plans (10-20-2009)
- Analysts aboard for rail hub (10-8-2009)
- Millions for maglev: So, where’s the money? (9-24-2009)
- Transportation secretary: Gibbons 'not accurate' in noting maglev earmark (9-23-2009)
- Maglev money sparks a Gibbons-Reid quarrel (9-18-2009)
- High-speed rail competition heats up with new funding (9-16-2009)
- Beyond Victorville: Coloradans covet high-speed rail, too (9-14-2009)
- DesertXpress train aiming for March construction start (9-1-2009)
- Forum to address DesertXpress train proposal (6-28-2009)
- High-speed train plan gets notice in D.C. (6-24-2009)
Sun Coverage
Japanese rail experts say developers of high-speed rail in the American Southwest should consider safety features to protect passengers from derailments resulting from earthquakes.
Tsutomu Morimura, senior executive director and director general of the general technology division of the Central Japan Railway Co., told an audience at UNLV Monday that his company has patented anti-derailing guard rails and post-derailment stoppers on tracks to help prevent trains from coming off their tracks in the event of an earthquake.
Morimura made his comments in a high-speed rail forum sponsored by UNLV’s Transportation Research Center and the Ward 5 Chamber of Commerce. Morimura and Motoaki Terai, general engineering manager of Central Japan Railway’s maglev system development division, gave presentations on the Japanese rail company’s two high-speed systems.
Central Japan Railway, which operates Japan’s famed Shinkansen “bullet train,” is angling to sell its technology to developers of high-speed rail proposals under consideration in the United States.
Two high-speed proposals are in different stages of development in Southern Nevada. The traditional steel-wheel DesertXpress proposal that would connect Las Vegas to Victorville, Calif., has completed an environmental impact statement on its proposed route and managers have said it would begin construction of the $4 billion project in the first quarter of next year. A rival proposal offered by the American Magline Group would use magnetic levitation technology with a route that would go to Anaheim, Calif. The maglev plan is at least a year behind DesertXpress and the company estimates it would cost $12 billion to build.
At present, the Central Japan Railway would be on the outside looking in on the existing proposals because DesertXpress has partnered with Canada-based Bombardier as its primary supplier while American Magline is working with Transrapid of Germany.
Transrapid has a commercially operating maglev in Shanghai.
But Morimura told about 60 people attending the UNLV presentation that his company’s steel-wheel and maglev products are superior to those on the market because they run faster and have better performance records than others.
One key attribute, he said, was the Shinkansen safety record – there have been no passenger injuries or fatalities since the bullet train began operating in 1964.
Speaking through a translator, Morimura said the Shinkansen is on its fifth generation design and the N700-I model the company is pitching worldwide has a maximum cruising speed of 205 mph – 55 mph faster than the DesertXpress train.
But Morimura said operators of trains in Southern California and Southern Nevada should pay attention to the probability of a major earthquake and take measures to prevent derailments that could occur if tracks begin to sway.
Central Japan Railway, based in one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world, has conducted vibration tests on high-speed-rail bogies and developed track enhancements to head off derailments.
The Japanese rail company also is developing a new maglev system capable of traveling at 313 mph that won’t be ready for commercial operation until 2025. The Japanese system differs from the German Transrapid design by having its primary propulsion magnets in the guideway instead of on the vehicle.
Because of their design, maglevs aren’t susceptible to earthquakes because the vehicles float within a box-shaped guideway.
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Our United States is already going through problems economically. To get into a contract with a foreign company that will take work away from american citizens should not even be an option.
Southern California is about 15,000 square miles.
Where is the train going to drop you off?
It will cost you more in time and money to get to your final destination than to travel from Las Vegas to Anaheim.
High speed trains are not the answer for the west. SolaTrek is the only viable solution.
"...The Japanese rail company also is developing a new maglev system capable of traveling at 313 mph that won't be ready for commercial operation until 2025..."
The number quoted for top speed, 313 mph, is most likely a typographical error. It should actually be 311 mph, since the advertised cruising speed for the Japanese superconducting maglev has been 500 kilometers per hour for many years (conversion factor from km to miles is 0.62137).
I know this might seem like a petty thing to most people, but in the world of train and maglev speeds, it's not. Remember, the difference between Japan's world-record test speed of 581 km/h (361 mph) and TGV's is only 7 km/h, or 4 mph.
As they say time is money but in this day and age its money. We have the rail tracks use those tracks and put cars that hauls people on them. Those railroad tracks extend from all points of the US.It would be crazy to spend that much tax payers money on this.
And how will a mag train climb over the San Bernardino Mountians? Are you investing in that BS???
BULLET TRAIN YES! BULLET TRAIN YES ! BULLET TRAIN YES ! BULLET TRAIN YES ! BULET TRAIN YES ! BULLET TRAIN YES ! BULLET TRAIN YES !
Magnetic levitation is the only answer.
But, sad to say, as long as fat cat republican supporter Sig Rogich profits from high speed rail, he and his goon squad will shove that idea down our throats.
Why? Cause Rogich will make money.
If he could make money or had a sweet deal with the Magline group he would be pushing option.
His support and opinion is bought. He is swayed by "what's in it for him?" He never thinks what is best for people, the community, the state, the country or the world. It is all about him.
This is the same greedy man that brought us Jim Gibbons...and oh, how Siggy boy profited from that.
I say we get the tar and feathers ready and do some real old west justice.
Do doubt. Maglev is the one!
Caroll : Actually Tar and feathering was the kind of justice that was put forth to the Torries in the original 13 colonies of the infant United States. I believe that a good old town center hanging was more to the style of the old west..
Victorville? But why Victorville? Maybe because the Desert Express can't pull the steep grades of the mountains. The Maglev can pull a 10 degree incline. No contest.