Posted on 12/10/2003 2:11:50 PM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
Renowned engineer Claudius Dornier helped design Zeppelin airships which astounded the aviation world in the 1930s. Now Dornier Consulting is a world leader in magnetic levitation – Maglev – train technology.
The world's first Maglev trains have begun to speed passengers from Shanghai airport to the city centre at more than 300 kilometres an hour. Dornier Consulting is in Dubai trying to convince potential customers in the Middle East that Maglev is the way to go.
'We think Maglev has a big future in this part of the world. We are getting signals that there is interest,' said Michael Witt, Senior Manager Technology Consulting Transportation, Dornier Consulting. It's part of the DaimlerChrysler Group based at Zeppelin-Werftgelande in Friedrichshafen near Stuttgart where the famous airships were built.
The trains without wheels quietly glide along a concrete or steel beam riding on a magnetic field. The new technology is not cheap. The first 30 kilometre long Maglev line in China cost 1.2 billion euros to build.
But Dornier Consulting says as the state of the art technology becomes more widespread the price will fall.
A high speed Maglev line could link Abu Dhabi to Dubai in just 30 minutes. Maglev trains would also be ideal to link Abu Dhabi airport with the city centre and in Bahrain and Qatar.
'Bahrain has shown interest in Maglev. We have been active in the Middle East since the 1990's and in Saudi Arabia since the 80's. Now we are trying to rekindle interest again.' Witt added.
Dornier Consulting is also marketing Light Rail train systems in the Middle East and has conducted feasibility studies in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh as well as a traffic management system for Gaza City and a number of cities in the region.
'There is very strong population growth here in the Middle East and you can't meet transport demands only using cars and buses. We think Light Rail is appropriate to the demands of the region,' he added.
'This is our first time at Gulf Traffic and we are happy to be here to showcase what technologies are available. We have had lots of contacts which we will try to develop. We wanted to show to our clients that we are committed to this region,' Witt said.
Dornier Consulting is one of more than 150 exhibitors taking part in Gulf Traffic 2003 which closes tonight at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.
'The last three days have been very interesting and busy with both the exhibition and the congresses attracting a lot of interest from local and regional government bodies,' said Davyd Farrell, Project Director, Gulf Traffic & MENA Rail 2003. 'There have been a lot of fruitful sessions on a wide range of transport topics and we hope they will go a long way in helping to find solutions to the traffic situation in the region.'
Meanwhile, today there are specialized workshops sponsored by ITS America and Wilbur Smith Associates which focus on Intelligent Transportation Systems.
The next edition of Gulf Traffic & MENA Rail will be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre in 2005 because the show will now be biennial.
Not to mention pretty good bombers in the 1940s.
Or was it politically incorrect to mention that?
So9
It was cool for a few days. But then awfully boring. Saw the same stations, same stores, same crowds every day. Was awfully cold waiting on the trains. Couldn't listen to Rush Limbaugh on my car radio.
I'll never give up my non American made truck.
Probably would be in the middle east. But you have to appreciate the irony of getting the middle east to pay the high startup costs for a technology that won't need a lot of oil.
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