First in Over 10 Years: Transrapid Debate in the Lower Saxony State Parliament
Triggered by the AfD's motion to halt the dismantling of the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland and to resume Transrapid research and deployment, the Lower Saxony state parliament held a 20-minute debate on the Transrapid.
Triggered by the AfD’s motion to halt the dismantling of the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland and to resume Transrapid research and deployment, the Lower Saxony state parliament (Landtag) held a 20-minute debate on the Transrapid. (Video)
Stephan Christ (Greens) compares the Transrapid to 1980s radio music
Stephan Christ, a Green member of the state parliament, speaks negatively about the Transrapid.
Although the Transrapid, which can be operated climate-neutrally, has the potential to sustainably relieve the overloaded long-distance rail network (ICE punctuality of only 65.3% in 2023) and short- and medium-haul air traffic, no counterarguments remain for him other than comparing the Transrapid to 1980s radio music.
“My first thought was the slogan of a Lower Saxony radio station that promotes the best hits of the 80s and 90s. But instead of Tom Schilling, Westernhagen, Bon Jovi or Madonna, this is about the maglev.”, said Christ during his speech.
“Instead, the focus was placed on strengthening rail, which without question is still an immense challenge.”, said Christ, even though the German rail network shrank in length by 12% from 1995 to 2022, despite a sharp rise in traffic volume.
It is precisely this neglect of the entire rail infrastructure, which hit the Transrapid hardest, that gave us all the delays, train cancellations and all the associated chaos on the railways today. The “strengthening of rail” that Christ dismissively set against the Transrapid seems to have worked just as poorly. That the Transrapid can bring an enormous improvement to long-distance travel has long been no secret.
Christoph Bratmann (SPD) prefers Hyperloop research
Christoph Bratmann, SPD member of the state parliament, opens his speech with a quote from Edmund Stoiber’s speech about the Transrapid project at Munich Airport. Bratmann also stresses the high costs of the Transrapid and the deaths of 23 people at the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland – without mentioning that this was caused by human error.
Of course, building a Transrapid line requires high investment – but that is no different for ordinary rail lines. Comparing the Transrapid with the ICE quickly makes clear that nothing here is “too expensive” – especially considering twice the top speed, 40% lower energy demand per seat at 350 km/h, 70% lower maintenance effort and many more.
Bratmann correctly states that the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland was closed in 2011 after industry saw no need for further research. But not because the project was abandoned – rather because the technology has been ready for service since 1991 and the newest vehicle, the TR09, successfully received approval from the Federal Railway Authority (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt).
Reinhold Hilbers (CDU) praises the Transrapid but prefers the Hyperloop
Reinhold Hilbers, CDU member of the state parliament, begins his speech with words of praise for Transrapid technology. The Transrapid was ahead of its time and was not realized for lack of political courage. Given aspects that are relevant today, such as climate neutrality and autonomous driving, entirely different prospects could have developed for the Transrapid, Hilbers said.
Nevertheless, during his speech he swings over to the Hyperloop and explains that it would be a more sensible approach to continue using the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland for Hyperloop research.
The AfD motion as the trigger
The entire debate was triggered by a motion from the AfD, which among other things calls for reactivating the Transrapid Test Facility Emsland and resuming research.
“For passenger transport in megacities as well as for international freight transport, maglev technology offers clear advantages over transport by rail, road and air. The technology ensures safe, fast and high-frequency mass transport. Erosive material wear and thus maintenance effort are significantly lower than with conventional transport systems. Emissions of noise, fine particulates or combustion residues are minimal to nonexistent. Maglev lines can handle steeper gradients than track systems, have a lower land consumption and, unlike high-speed rail lines, do not cut up the landscape.”, reads an excerpt from the motion.
Motion referred to committee
The motion is now being referred to the “Committee for Economy, Construction, Transport and Digitalization”, where it will be discussed further.
