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Chinese bullet trains are based on tech transfer from Western (and Japanese) firms. They famously forgot didn't implement the signalling protocol which caused

Chinese bullet trains are based on tech transfer from Western (and Japanese) firms. They famously forgot didn't implement the signalling protocol which caused the 2011 Wenzhou high speed train head-on collision.

sudosysgen 5y ago
There are recent advances in maglev tech that came out of China, such as REBCO maglev trains, which can in theory allow for much higher speeds.
- LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
  Let's see how that works out. Last I've read in a timeframe from some weeks ago is that they finally start building a test track somewhere. I'm torn. Sure it would be a cool thing to have. They'd outdo all the hyped hyperloops. OTOH they maybe come to the same conclusions as...errr...others before, that it makes no sense economically, especially if you already have a large HSR network capable of operating at +300kph. With REBCO or not. I mean, they tested that Transrapid thing in Shanghai. While 'cool', that wasn't expanded. Remains to be seen if that changes.
  - sudosysgen 5y ago
    I've got some hope - REBCO is so much cheaper than any other superconducting material, and China really needs even more trains to offset from air traffic.
    - LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
      But does it scale? In the volume needed to equip the trains and tracks with it? Isn't it brittle? Doesn't it need so called rare earths, which are already in much demand for all sorts of electrification in all sectors due to decarbonization?
      - sudosysgen 5y ago
        It does scale amazingly, and it is much cheaper than existing superconductors. It does require rare earths, but China has the capacity to scale up production tremendously and supply is not really threatened as of now. YCBO is indeed brittle, but that's not a huge issue for maglev. It's pretty much superior in every way to existing materials, from supply to scale. The biggest issue with YBCO is the low critical current, but actually the higher the speed of the train the lesser the required current.

sudosysgen 5y ago

There are recent advances in maglev tech that came out of China, such as REBCO maglev trains, which can in theory allow for much higher speeds.

LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
Let's see how that works out. Last I've read in a timeframe from some weeks ago is that they finally start building a test track somewhere. I'm torn. Sure it would be a cool thing to have. They'd outdo all the hyped hyperloops. OTOH they maybe come to the same conclusions as...errr...others before, that it makes no sense economically, especially if you already have a large HSR network capable of operating at +300kph. With REBCO or not. I mean, they tested that Transrapid thing in Shanghai. While 'cool', that wasn't expanded. Remains to be seen if that changes.
- sudosysgen 5y ago
  I've got some hope - REBCO is so much cheaper than any other superconducting material, and China really needs even more trains to offset from air traffic.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 5y ago
    But does it scale? In the volume needed to equip the trains and tracks with it? Isn't it brittle? Doesn't it need so called rare earths, which are already in much demand for all sorts of electrification in all sectors due to decarbonization?
    - sudosysgen 5y ago
      It does scale amazingly, and it is much cheaper than existing superconductors. It does require rare earths, but China has the capacity to scale up production tremendously and supply is not really threatened as of now. YCBO is indeed brittle, but that's not a huge issue for maglev. It's pretty much superior in every way to existing materials, from supply to scale. The biggest issue with YBCO is the low critical current, but actually the higher the speed of the train the lesser the required current.