Potential Applications of Maglev Railway Technology in China

From aspects of scientific value, technical feasibility and economical efficiency, this paper reviews practical demonstrations of transport projects related to the application of different types of maglev technologies in different countries. Based on the experienced progress, it summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of the world's maglev technologies in the possible development of China, and presents their technological and economic feasibility of different types of maglev systems and their current technical maturity from the viewpoint of engineering construction. Authors study the demonstration process of several maglev projects carried on in the countries such as Germany, Japan, America, Netherlands and U.K., and analyze the major technical parameters adopted, the relevant conclusions in engineering and economy and the reasons why these projects have not been started so far. The paper also reveals the environmental characteristics of maglev technologies in urban and intercity transport of China, studies the advantages of technical economy and potential risks to promote of maglev technologies in transportation practice. From the viewpoints of sustainable economic development, demand growths and governmental politics, the paper gives a preliminary analysis of the feasibility to apply maglev technologies in some regions of Yangtse Rive Delta, Zhujiang Delta and Beijing-Tianjin Region, and some intercity transport corridors between several important city pairs such as Shenyang-Dalian, Chongqing-Chengdu et al. Authors further estimate the economical efficiency for the application of maglev technologies. Integrated with the recent research progress of maglev technologies carried in China, the paper finally advances a series of policy suggestions for the development of maglev technologies in near future, which may promote the efficient practice of the technologies.