Berlin officials are considering a proposal for a super-high-speed magnetic levitation train line to the still-unfinished Berlin Brandenburg Airport, whose opening has been delayed again, at least into 2018.
The train was proposed by the German infrastructure company that built a similar system for Shanghai's new airport. It would be capable of speeds up to about 268 mph—and if it's built with the speed Shanghai's was, it might get to the airport before any planes land.
The airport itself, which was supposed to have opened in 2011, is Berlin's on-going soap opera cum disaster, mired down in an endless streak of bad design, faulty construction, fires and bribery scandals. For more on that, click HERE
Maglev systems have been around as a concept for a long time, but only a few have been built. They rely on opposing magnetic forces to lift the train just off the track, reducing friction to zero and providing propulsion.
It's only one of the options the city is considering for airport transit connections, including possibly just extending one of the city's subway lines. Because all air traffic to the region will eventually land at BER, there need to be good enough connections not only for the beginning but for expected growth. In any case, it appears that the long delay in airport opening has given the city a bit more time to be ready with a train! For more on the proposal, click HERE
Above: Shanghai's maglev airport train. (Photo: ImagineChina)
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