1. Transrapid Maglev System Innovative traintechnology
The superspeed maglev system Transrapid is an innovative track-bound transportation system for passenger and high-value cargo traffic at speeds between 300 to 500 km/h. It is the first fundamental innovation in railroad technology since the construction of the first railroad.

2. Electromagnetic Levitation
Comparison of Systems
Railroad / Maglev
Titel
Wheel-on-rail
Electromagnetic Levitation
Guidance
Propulsion
The superspeed maglev system has neither wheels nor axles nor gearing. It does not drive–it hovers without touching the guideway, with no friction nor wear. Electronics replace mechanical parts. The functions of wheel-on- rail, i.e. support and guidance, propulsion and braking, are taken over by an electromagnetic levitation and propulsion system. The Transrapid system works completely contact free.
Propulsion
Support
Support

3. System Components Electromagnetic Levitation Stator Pack
Guidance Magnet
Eddy Current Brake
Support
Magnet
Linear
Generator
The levitation system, i.e. support and guidance, is based on the attractive forces between the electromagnets in the vehicle, and the stator packs and side guidance rails in the guideway. In order to make the vehicle hover, the levitation magnets pull it toward the stator packs from below and the guidance magnets pull it to the side towards the guidance rails.
Guidance Rail

4. Linear Motor
The superspeed maglev system is propelled and braked by means of a long-stator linear motor. The method by which the linear motor functions can be derived from a conventional electric motor - the stator is cut open, stretched, and laid out along the entire length of the guideway on both sides.

5. Propulsion Principle Magnetic Traveling Field
Alternating current in the cable windings generates an electromagnetic wandering field by which the train is pulled along without contact. By changing the intensity of the current, the thrust and speed of the train can be continuously varied. The motor can also be used as a generator which then brakes the train.

6. Longstator Propulsion Switching
Motor Section
Switched Off
Activated
Motor Section
Motor Section
Switched Off
Only the route segment in which a vehicle is moving is supplied with power.
Energy Supply

7. Comparison Propulsion Systems
Transrapid
(Track-mounted drive)
Gradient (max. 10%)
Railroad
(Vehicle-mounted drive)
Gradient (max. 4%)
The Transrapid concept with the guideway motor has two fundamental advantages: 1) the vehicle is significantly lighter, 2) the propulsion power can be precisely adjusted to exactly the necessary requirements. This means: at ascending slopes and acceleration sections more power can be deployed to the guideway motor than, for example, on flat land.

8. Acceleration distance to 300 km/h (185 mph)
Transrapid/ICE
Acceleration distance to 300 km/h (185 mph)
The Transrapid is not only fast, but it can also accelerate quickly to high speeds. 300 km/h (185 mph) can be reached after a distance of only 5 km (3 miles). Modern high-speed trains require more than 28 km (18 miles) and at least four times as long to reach the same speed.

9. Acceleration of a 6-section vehicle
Transrapid
Acceleration of a 6-section vehicle
km/h
61,1 s
1,7 km
97,1 s
4,2 km
147,5 s
9,1 km
256,3 s
22,7 km
500
400
300
200
The Transrapid maglev system can therefore be used to advantage not only for long distances but also for short an medium distances in metropolitan areas with short intervals between stops.
100 s 50
100
150
200
250
300

10. Guideway Types At-grade guideway Typ III Elevated guideway Typ II
1,25-3,5 m
Elevated guideway
Typ II
49,536 m
The guideway of the maglev system consists of steel, concrete or hybrid beams which are between 6.2m and 62 m long. The two tracks run at-grade or are elevated but they can also be laid over bridges and through tunnels.
Elevated guideway
Type I
25 m

11. Guideway Bending Switch
Turn-out Direction
3,60 m
150 m
Straight Direction
The Transrapid maglev system changes tracks using steel bendable switches. They consist of continuous steel box beams with length between 78 m and 148 m (256 ft – 486 ft) which are elastically bent by means of electromagnetic setting drives and securely locked in their end positions.

12. Transrapid 08 Length end section: 27 m Length middle section: 24.8 m
Width: 3.7 m
Heigth: 4.2 m
Maximum operational speed: 500 km/h (310 mph)
Empty weight passenger vehicle per section: approx. 53 t
Empty weight cargo vehicle per section: approx. 48 t
Useful payload, cargo vehicle per section: approx. 15 t
Seats, passenger vehicle end section: max. 92
Seats, passenger vehicle middle section: max 126

13. Transrapid applications
Airport Link
Long Distance
Regional Networks
The Transrapid maglev system is the most flexible of all known means of transportation. The system can be used to advantage not only for long distances but also for short and medium distances in metropolitan areas with short intervals between stops and still provides short travelling times. And still the Transrapid represents the least additional stress in densely settled regions. The Transrapid is quieter, consumes less energy, carries both, passengers and freight, and can be adapted flexibly to the existing structures.

14. Trainset Configurations
Airport Link:
2 Sections with up to 184 Seats
Long distance:
Up to 10 Sections with 1172 Seats
The Transrapid vehicles are flexibly configured to correspond with the requirements of the most diverse applications. The vehicle sections are built using lightweight, modular structures and can be combined into trains with two to ten sections depending on the application and traffic volume.

15. Cargo Vehicle
In addition to passengers, the Transrapid can also carry high-value cargo in specially designed cargo sections. These can be used for dedicated high-speed cargo trains or added to passenger trains for mixed service. Special container sections, each with a useful load of 17 metric tons, could be used for high-speed freight transport.

16. Safety
Passenger and vehicle safety is clearly enhanced by the technical concept of the magnetic levitation train. Transrapid vehicles virtually cannot derail, since they wrap around the guideway.
The complete absence of crossing in the track routing prevents accidents with other means of transportation.

17. 14 12 2 Land Consumption (m2/m) ICE TR at grade TR elevated
In comparison with other transportation systems, the Transrapid maglev system requires the lowest amount of space and land for guideway infrastructure and related facilities.

18. Collocation with highways
Transrapid
Collocation with highways
Because of its extremely favorable route alignment parameters (gradients of 10% can be climbed and curves with tight radii and cants of up to 16° can be travelled) the guideway can be flexible adapted to the landscape without massive earthworks and it is often possible, in contrast to existing railroads, to collocate it with existing traffic routes.
TR Standard

19. Specific Energy Consumption
cannot be achieved by ICE 3
200 km/h
125 mph
300 km/h
185 mph
400 km/h
250 mph
Wh/seat-km
(under identical conditions)
Transrapid
ICE
The favorable aerodynamic properties and the non-contact technology make the Transrapid extraordinarily economical. At the same output the superspeed maglev system consumes 20 to 30 percent less energy than the already very “modest“ railroad.
For the same transportation performance, the specific primary energy consumption of automobile traffic is 3 times and air traffic 5 times higher than the Transrapid.

20. Specific CO2 Emissions Values in grams per seat-km 190 60 33 30
Car 60
400 km/h
250 mph
Transrapid 33
Short-haul Flight
190
300 km/h
185 mph 23 30
ICE
Lower energy consumption also means lower CO2 emission. The CO2 emission depends on the primary energy consumption, the method and raw materials used to generate the energy, and how it is distributed.

21. Noise Emission Pass-by Level in dB(A) at a Distance of 25 m (82 ft) 9289 92 90 80 85 82 73
Pass-by Level in dB(A) at a Distance of 25 m (82 ft)
Suburban Train
Transrapid 07
ICE 1+2
TGV-A
80 km/h
50 mph
200 km/h
125 mph
300 km/h
185 mph
400 km/h
250 mph
Compared with other transport systems, the Transrapid is extremely quiet. There is no rolling or propulsion noise. At speeds up to 250 km/h (155 mph), the Transrapid hovers almost soundlessly through cities and metropolitan areas, at speeds above the noise emission of the superspeed maglev system mainly characterized by aerodynamic noise.
An increase of 10 dB (A) is perceived as a doubling of the volume of the noise.

22. Magnetic Field Strength
Earth‘s
Magnetic
Field
Transrapid
Color TV
Hair
Dryer
Electric
Stove
in µTesla
For high energy efficiency reasons, the magnetic field used for the levitation, guidance, and propulsion of Transrapid is concentrated within the gap between the vehicle and the guideway components of the linear motor. Outside this gap, the intensity of magnetic stray fields strongly declines. In the passenger cabin the level is within the range of the earth natural magnetic field.

23. Track Investment Costs ICE/Transrapid Long Distance Application
(in million € per double track km)
ICE
ICE
ICE
Transrapid
Hannover Berlin
Hannover Würzburg
Mannheim Stuttgart
Cologne Frankfurt
Berlin Hamburg
level,
few tunnels,
94 mi,
Price level 1997
The comparison for one market (in this case Germany) shows that despite the higher performance of these routes, investment costs are comparable to those for high speed rail.
A comparison of the infrastructure costs favors the Transrapid even more when the route passes through difficult terrain as the need for expensive civil structures such as bridges and tunnels can be reduced significantly for reason of its flexible route alignment parameters.
low-mountains,
many tunnels,
205 mi,
Price level 1988
low-mountains
many tunnels,
62 mi,
Price level 1988
low-mountains
many tunnels,
118 mi,
Price level 1998
level,
few tunnels,
181 mi,
Price level 1998
New route including track infrastructure, operation/maintenance facilities, without trains and station
New route including guideway infrastructure, operation/maintenance facilities, without vehicles and stations (Berlin-Hamburg Project planning)

24. Overall System Maintenance Costs
Long Distance Application
Eurocent per seat-km (under identical conditions)
Vehicle
Guideway
Overall System
100%
100%
34%
100%
Due to the non-contact and non-wearing technology, maintenance of the vehicles, the guideway and the guideway equipment is primarily restricted to the conventional structures, unless damage occurs through external influences which cannot be foreseen.
In a comparison of the maintenances cost of the Transrapid system with conventional high speed rail, the Transrapid costs are one third less.
29%
41%
Operating Speed: ICE = 250 km/h (155 mph)
Transrapid (TR) = 450 km/h (280 mph)

25. Emsland Test Facility TVE Guideway Length: 31.5 km / 19.5 miles
North Loop
South Loop
High-speed Section
( km/h)
Observation Point
Switch
Switch
Switch
Since 1984, the Transrapid maglev system is beeing tested on its test facility (TVE).
In 1993, on June, 17, under normal operating conditions, the Transrapid 07 achieves a new world speed record of 450 km/h (310 mph) at the TVE.
At-grade
Guideway
At-grade
Guideway
Visitor / Test Center

26. Shanghai Airport Link Route
A contract to realize the Shanghai airport link is concluded on January 23, 2001.
Start of construction on the Shanghai Project was March 1, 2001.
Maiden trip of the Transrapid Maglev Train on its first commercially operated route worldwide from Shanghais Long Yang Road to the Pudong International Airport was December 31, 2002.

27. Shanghai Airport Link Project Data Route Length 30 km double track
Link to maintenance facilities 3 km single track
Stations 2
Number of vehicles in vehicles each with 5 sections
(6 sections from June 2004)
Traffic Volume
• in million passengers
• in million passengers
• in million passengers
Travel speed (max.) 430 km/h
Trip time 8 minutes
Headway 10 minutes (option: 5 minutes)
Daily operation 18 hours

28. Transrapid project Munich
From Munich downtown to the Airport "Franz-Josef Strauß" a modern urban train takes 45 min today. The Maglev System will shorten trip time on this 37 km route to just ten minutes.

29. Munich Airport Link
Western Route
Possible tunnel
Airport
Neufahrn b. Fsg.
Eching
Unterschleißheim
Oberschleißheim
AB.-Dreieck
Feldmoching
Ismaning
Olympiapark
To strengthen the connection of the International Airport to downtown Munich two possible route alternatives have been planned, but the western route was preferred for realization.
Main Station
Messe
Ostbahnhof

30. Munich Airport Link Project Data Munich Airport – Central Station
Number of vehicles
Sections / Vehicle
Passengers per vehicle including seats Stations Traffic Volume Travel speed (max./average)
Trip Time
Headway 5 3
320
148 2
7,86 million passengers
350 km/h (128 km/h)
10 minutes
10 minutes

31. Pennsylvania Project Route Alternatives
Pittsburgh
International Airport
Magport
North Shore
Magport
Pittsburgh
Monroeville
Magport
Station Square
Magport
Monongahela
Greensburg
Magport
This route would serve Pittsburgh commuters and help alleviate congestion on the bridges leading into Pittsburgh. The "Magport" terminal at the Pittsburgh Airport would be truly intermodal with airplanes, maglev trains, buses, taxis, and cars as well as a shopping mall and passenger/commuter services. It is the proposed initial segment of the Cleveland - Pittsburgh - Harrisburg - Philadelphia network.
Pittsburgh International Airport to Greensburg
Route length 86.9 km / 54 miles Vehicles 8 (3 sections each)
Stations 5 Invest cost $ 3.5 billion
Trip time 35 minutes

32. Baltimore-Washington Project Route Alternatives
795
Baltimore to Washington D.C.
Route length 62.8 km / 39 miles
Stations 3
Trip time 18.5 minutes
Vehicles 7 (3 sections each)
Invest cost $ 3.7 billion
Baltimore 32
This route travels from downtown Baltimore to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and on to downtown Washington DC. It would carry commuters and allow BWI Airport to serve as a third airport for Washington DC.
295 95
Washington D.C.

33. Transrapid Las Vegas From Las Vegas to Primm
Route length 56 km / 35 miles
Stations 2
Trip time 11 minutes
Vehicles 3 (8 sections each)
Investment cost $ 1.3 billion
California
Nevada
Barstow
Primm
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Although not selected to participate in the next phase of the Maglev Deployment Program, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are looking to connect with each other, linking McCarran International and Los Angeles International airports.
A first part is the connection from Las Vegas to Primm (state border).

34. Transrapid Netherlands Potential Projects
Groningen
Drachten
Heerenveen
Emmeloord
Lelystad
Amsterdam
Almere
Schiphol Airport
The Netherlands consider the use of maglev system to improve the traffic situation. Feasibility studies are carried out.
Leiden
Den Haag
Utrecht
Gouda
Rotterdam