JAPAN | Maglev

[quashlo]

No, it doesn't have to do with curve radius, but with the fact that all the approaches into and out of the three major metropolitan areas (Greater Tōkyō, Greater Nagoya, and Greater Ōsaka) will be in tunnels, and that the route cuts straight through the Southern Alps.

The biggest reasons behind this are land acquisition cost (and potential schedule uncertainty if JR Central is unable to acquire the land in a timely manner) and desire to minimize travel time.

[SamuraiBlue]

Originally Posted by trainrover

Might that high share of tunneling stem from the intended high radial minimum (approx 10KM)? I.e., might that high minimum be too restrictive when it come to altering the elevation over comparatively short line, route segments? Or might that 10KM minimum be for lateral radii only?

Originally Posted by quashlo

Standard for the Yamanashi test track is 8,000 m:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...&postcount=181

Why don't you read previous posts?

Quashlo had already posted that it is 8,000m radius not 10,000m.

[foxmulder]

Originally Posted by SamuraiBlue

Why don't you read previous posts?

Quashlo had already posted that it is 8,000m radius not 10,000m.

That's for the the test track, there is nothing official for the real one.

I hope they go with 10,000m, it will be better.

[chornedsnorkack]

Originally Posted by foxmulder

That's for the the test track, there is nothing official for the real one.

But is the Yamanashi test track separate from the real one? Or is it due to be incorporated into it?

[ukiyo]

Yes it is.

Originally Posted by ukiyo

The government approved it June 2011, and the test track is currently being extended (to be finished in 2013) which will be a section of the Maglev line.

[trainrover]

8KM, 10KM ... would either radius allow 'zippy' change in elevation? Conventional HSR looks like it accommodates snappy changes in elevation, such that I wonder if these broad radii bandied about here might limit such prospect with maglev ... besides, with Japan's evidently-dynamic landscape I can't see the excitement to so much anticipated tunneling either for such a costly intent

[SamuraiBlue]

Originally Posted by trainrover

8KM, 10KM ... would either radius allow 'zippy' change in elevation? Conventional HSR looks like it accommodates snappy changes in elevation, such that I wonder if these broad radii bandied about here might limit such prospect with maglev ... besides, with Japan's evidently-dynamic landscape I can't see the excitement to so much anticipated tunneling either for such a costly intent

Although this illustration had been posted for the nmmm th time here it is again for people who really can't accept the truth.

[chornedsnorkack]

Originally Posted by SamuraiBlue

Although this illustration had been posted for the nmmm th time here it is again for people who really can't accept the truth.

Does anyone have numbers for
minimal vertical radius of curve
minimal total curve radius, and direction of the radius?

[bluemeansgo]

Originally Posted by lkstrknb

So the JR Maglev consumes two to three times the energy when it is traveling 500km/h than a N700 traveling at 285km/h? So how much energy is consumed by the JR Maglev going 285km/h

I always thought maglevs were more efficient than traditional trains, but your post confused me.

Luke

They are. It's travelling faster, but uses more energy. A Shinkansen, if it were to travel 500km/h would likely use MORE than double the energy as consumption does not increase linearly with velocity. Air friction has a lot to do with it.

Maglevs are more efficient and have much more potential for efficiency.

Electric high speed trains powered by an electric overhead pantograph have been extensively researched and tested, whereas Maglevs are only just beginning to be researched. As they become more prevalent (assuming they are not a bridge to another superior technology) the inherent advantages that they have will increase their efficiency.

Economies of scale will also help to increase efficiency.

[lkstrknb]

Thanks for your insight and clarification!

[trainrover]

Originally Posted by SamuraiBlue

for people who really can't accept the truth

I thought I'd read somewhere along this thread that the once-upon-a-time truth to this project was supposed to have have come about seemingly ages ago Besides, accepting the truth be possible only when the woven-in image has been posted anywhere else in all these fora

[quashlo]

If you are still wondering about the energy consumption, here’s some data from an article last year:
http://chubu.yomiuri.co.jp/news_k/li...ar111025_1.htm

This May, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) estimated the electricity consumption of the maglev based on a hearing from JR Central. If running the current maglev trains at 500 km/h and in 16-car formations like the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, the estimated electricity consumption is approx. 35,000 kW.

According to JR Central, the Tōkaidō Shinkansen’s electricity consumption (N700 series and 700 series) when running at 270 km/h as measured in the field is over 10,000 kW. The calculations show that the maglev’s higher maximum speed equates to a high instantaneous electricity load.

The MLIT also estimated the electricity consumption of the maglev line at the time of its opening. When operating a total of five maglev trains per hour in each direction between Tōkyō and Nagoya, the electrical load at peak is approx. 270,000 kW.

Currently, peak electricity load on the same section for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, which operates as many as 13 trains per hour in each direction, is approx. 360,000 kW. Should the number of maglev trains increase, the line would consume even more electricity.

Just as for the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, JR Central plans to purchase and transmit the electricity to operate the maglev line from power companies such as Tōkyō Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Chūbu Electric Power Company. However, public awareness of energy conservation has substantially increased in response to the power shortages following the Great East Japan Earthquake, and JR Central says, “For the maglev as well, we will research and develop technologies to allow the trains to conserve more energy when running.”

[trainrover]

Is higher ridership found in Japan's smoking cars?

Originally Posted by trainrover

The low ridership filmed astonishes me

[quashlo]

Tunneling for maglev test track extension complete
http://news.mynavi.jp/news/2012/04/06/043/

JR東海では、山梨リニア実験線の工事の進捗について発表している。3月27日に東側延伸区間の安寺(あてら)トンネルが貫通し、延伸区間のすべてのトンネルが貫通した。


安寺トンネルは東側延伸区間にある


高架橋の工事も進む

同実験線は1997年4月より、先行区間(大月市笹子町を起点に、都留市朝日曽雌の終点までの18.4km)での走行試験を開始した。2003年には世界最高速度となる時速581kmを記録。「超電導磁気浮上式鉄道について実用化の基盤技術が確立したと判断できる」との評価も受けた。

現在は実験線の延伸工事が行われており、東に7.8km、西に16.6km延伸されて総延長は42.8kmに。延伸区間のトンネルは計10カ所あり、安寺トンネルをもってすべてのトンネルが貫通。トンネル区間工事においては、今年夏までに路盤や天井、壁面の仕上げが完成する予定だ。

明かり区間では高架橋や橋りょうの工事を施工中で、すべての橋台と橋脚が完成し、橋げたがかかりつつある状況だという。橋げた工事は今年秋までに完了する予定。先行区間では全面的な設備更新も行われ、現在はガイドウェイの設置や変電所の機器据付などを施工している。ガイドウェイなどの設置工事は今年夏から本格化する。

その後、来年春から各種設備の機能試験などを開始し、来年末までに新実験線での走行試験を開始するとのこと。新実験線では、長大編成の車両によるトップスピードでの長距離走行や、長大トンネルの走り抜け、保守体系の確立など、超電導リニアの実用化に向けた確認試験が行われる。

ANN news report (2012.03.30):



Tunneling work for the last tunnel on the test track extension, the Atera Tunnel, was completed on 2012.03.27. Currently, the maglev test track is being extended from 18.4 km to 42.8 km (7.8 km east and 16.6 km west). There are 10 tunnels on the new segments, and with the completion of the excavation, they will now construct the trackbed, ceiling, and walls for the tunnels, completing them by this summer.

On the daylight sections, the foundation work and all the viaduct columns have been constructed, and they are continuing with erection of the guideway beams, with a scheduled completion this autumn. They are also carrying out upgrade works to the existing test track sections, including guideway installation and installation of transformer substation equipment.

Testing of the functionality of the extended test track will begin next spring; running tests with trains will resume before the end of next year. The tests will focus on confirming the practicality and functionality of the superconducting maglev technology, including long-distance running tests with long train sets, entry / exit in long tunnels, and development of the maintenance framework. JR Central is investing ¥105 billion towards maglev-related work this year (FY2012), an all-time record for the maglev project.

[quashlo]

I found some new (old) videos on YouTube of the test rides on the maglev that I’d never seen before…

[coth]

Originally Posted by quashlo

test track is being extended from 18.4 km to 42.8 km (7.8 km east and 16.6 km west).

those two videos shows 34km mileage, why so?

[Silly_Walks]

Originally Posted by coth

those two videos shows 34km mileage, why so?

Perhaps the test track makes some sort of round trip, I don't know.

[coth]

It's not. Found answer above. Current 0 seems to be 16,6km of planned extension.

[SamuraiBlue]

Originally Posted by coth

It's not. Found answer above. Current 0 seems to be 16,6km of planned extension.

Actually it is if you focus at the bottom figures it shows the distance from the planned starting point to distance at hand.

The distance shown within the vid simply points the distance from the planned starting point.

[TheZoolooMaster]

Here we go with a pessimistic tirade:

I was just looking up the facts on Wikipedia, and am honestly quite disappointed with the lack of ambition driving this project. From the official approval of the first bullet train (Tōkaidō Shinkansen) to the line opening to the public, only 6 years past (December 1958-October 1964) This was a Tokyo-Osaka line, so essentially the same as the line planned for this project.

Yet here the planned completion of this project is over 30 years away! And all it will accomplish is to reduce the travel time from 2 hours 15 to about 1 hour, a much less impressive feat than the original Shinkansen cutting the travel time in 1965 from 6 hours 40 in a conventional train to 3 hours 10.

I just wonder, in 2045 will this technology already be obsolete? In a world of accelerating technological progress I don't understand the trend that is leading so many construction projects to take longer and longer to complete. I don't imagine anyone is happy about it; but as time goes on, this becomes an ever more pressing problem.

I took the stats from what was stated on Wikipedia, so feel free to challenge me if you think they are false.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8D...%8D_Shinkansen
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen