The Shanghai Maglev Train, a joint venture project inaugurated in 2002, cost $1.2 billion and features a 30.5 km route with a top speed of 431 km/h. Despite initially high passenger numbers, it operates at less than 20% capacity and incurs significant financial losses, prompting reconsideration of future maglev projects. The central government has since favored conventional high-speed rail over maglev for connections to Beijing and other regions.

1. Ahmed Mahmoud Ahmed
Magnetic levitated train

2. Case study : Shanghai maglev train
The white elephant

3.  Construction of the line began in March 1, 2001
 It costs 1.2 billion dollars
 The project was joint venture of Siemens and ThyssenKrupp.
 The whole guideway was made by Chinese companies.
 Chinese changed the German design due to the alluvial soil of
Pudong…
Founding state

4.  A column per 25 meters instead of 50.
 Pre-stressed girders instead of steel .
 Depth of columns is 70 m
China changes the plan

5.  Several thousand concrete piles were driven to depths up to 70
meters to attain stability for the support column foundations.
 The electrification of the train was developed by Vahle.
 The train was inaugurated in 2002 by the German chancellor and the
Chinese premier
 The opening of the train commercially was in April 2004
 After the project acceptance, all job were taken by the Chinese staff
Founding state - cont

6.  The first and fastest commercial magnetic levitated high speed
train.
 Total route of 30.5Km (18.95 miles )
 The travel speed is 431 km/h (268 m/h)
 Fastest maglev train till 2003.
 108 Trips/day with 7.5minutes for each trip
General facts

7.  Reaches speed of 350 km/h in the first 2 minutes.
 By 2006, 4 million passengers have used the maglev which was sufficient to
cover its operation cost.
 High cost of installation was due to :
1. First installation.
2. Challenging construction schedule.
3. Main components were brought from Germany.
4. Chinese engineering steep learning.
General facts -cont

8. Operation budget
 SMTDC was formed to control the work of the maglev
 19% of the total staff are involved in administration, operation, and
support services.
 Only 1/3 of the cost of installation is paid for
personnel due to the low wages of Chinese
 The whole staff working in Shanghai maglev
are Chinese which was one of Chinese
targets

9. 1. Shanghai-Hangzhou line
In January 2006, the Shanghai–Hangzhou Maglev Line extension project was
proposed by the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau
2. Shanghai-Beijing line
A proposed line would have connected Shanghai to Beijing, over a distance of
1,300 kilometers (800 mi), at an estimated cost of £15.5bn
Suggested extensions

10.  Shanghai maglev is increasingly becoming a white elephant, leaving city
officials red-faced.
 the central government used conventional high speed rail train instead of
planned Maglev between Shanghai and Beijing
 Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev line was also put on ice by the central and local
governments with doubts about the project's feasibility.
The White Elephant
SCMP 22 Dec, 2012
Daniel Ren.

11.  Maglev, unfortunately appears to operate at less than 20 per cent
of capacity.
 A metro trip only costs 10 yuan, why I pay 50 !
 Local media have reported that it is posting a loss of 600 million
to 700 million yuan a year.
 “China should be proud of the maglev because the city had
acquired valuable know-how in applying the technology.” said
Chen Liangyu.
The White Elephant - cont