Transrapid International (TRI), the German technical provider
for the Shanghai maglev train, has sent a team of experts to join
their Chinese counterparts to help pinpoint the cause of last
Friday's maglev fire, a Chinese company official said
yesterday.
"Maintenance will be carried out on the magnetic levitation
(maglev) train once the cause is determined," said Xia Guozhong,
director of the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Company
(SMTDC), the operator of the maglev.
The German-built maglev, operating around China's business hub
of Shanghai, caught fire at around 3 PM last Friday with no
injuries resulting from the incident.?
The train had just pulled out of Longyang Road Station and was
heading toward Pudong International Airport when smoke was reported
in the second carriage. Firefighters raced to the scene, safely
evacuating the passengers.
The maglev train affected is staying at an emergency stop,
around one kilometer away from the Longyang Road Station, awaiting
the completion of checks by firefighters and experts.
Xia added that given the minimal nature of the damage done, the
running of the other maglev trains would remain smooth.
The 30-kilometer-long maglev line first started on December 31,
2002, when former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and former
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji enjoyed its maiden voyage.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2006)