With speeds of 300 to Hamburg! An Hour’s Drive! 25 years ago today, on 2. In March 1994, the Federal government decided the construction of the Maglev line from Berlin to Hamburg. 14.5 million passengers, saw the planners per year between the two cities and switch back and forth to weave, so a 20 000-per-day and direction.

in spite of the excessive prices, a Ticket should be 30 per cent more expensive than a 1.-Class Ticket for the ICE. This imagination had to be, for the project to be added beautiful. The cost rose faster and faster, the dream of Floating burst five years after the decision of the former CDU/FDP government coalition.

Six billion euros “for 20 minutes,” reckoned Bahn chief Mehdorn before

at the beginning of 2000, the newly appointed Bahn chief Hartmut Mehdorn announced the. The Transrapid is a “an economic millstone,” he “will hang on the neck”. Mehdorn’s bill looked like this: Six billion euros “for 20 minutes”. The emergency brake came late, but they came to happiness.

What are all the years before that, plans have been forged by industry and politics, so that the “Made in Germany”-can drive a prestige object somewhere. In 1989, the Transrapid from Düsseldorf should float to Cologne, so the decision of Chancellor Kohl was. At this time, already 1.4 billion Mark tax been money invested in the project.

Then came the reunification, Berlin became suddenly into view. One hour Float for the West-Berliner, who were rumbled on leaning DDR tracks in inter-zone trains to West Germany, of course, a revelation.

Historical photos from the station Spandau more pictures 1 of 58Foto: ©EkKoBild / Ekkehard Kolodziej01 ads.12.2018 14:12 Spandau station in the 80s. On the right, the old positioner, the very back in the middle of the town hall tower. Today…Back Next

in 1992, the Transrapid Hamburg–Berlin was included in the Federal transport infrastructure plan. The decision for the Transrapid was at the same time a double railway, which was then concealed. The Federal Railways limited the Expansion of their route from Berlin to Hamburg at a speed of 160. This came in much cheaper than the usual 200, because from 160 km/h, all level crossings need to be eliminated.

train stations in Westkreuz, Spandau, Hauptbahnhof …

at this time, was not yet clear where the Transrapid should start. Originally, he should losschweben in Spandau, Westkreuz, and finally, in the not-yet-built main train station. Quite Visionary, the trains looked also at the airports in Sperenberg, or Leipzig. Still, the enthusiasm continued. The daily mirror reported in October 1998: “The plans for the construction of the Maglev train can run quickly at full speed. Up to the end of the year, all 20 of the plan approval procedure for the 292-kilometre-long route is to be initiated.“

But the costs rose faster, higher. From 4.5 billion euros in 1993 to 7.5 billion were independent appraiser, has named the ten billion. A lot of money for a reference distance, so that the industry can sell their product. With today funny promises Brandenburg politicians were lured grace: In November 1997, the speaker of the “magnetic fast track-planning company” (MPG) shared with, that already at the beginning of 1999 start of construction between the stops in Schwerin and Perleberg.

Between the arcades and the train station should proceed to the Transrapid. Therefore, there is a gap. There is a new railway could batter…photo: André Görke

Between these two cities could magnetic levitation the from 2002 by way of trial, and 90 jobs in the Transrapid-factory pearl mountain secure. In 1998 the red-green Federal government. She had agreed in the coalition agreement not to build the Maglev train only if the cost to the Federal increase.

The ICE is driving the car in 90 minutes and Hamburg – with Tempo 230

In the previously cited daily mirror article of October 1998, even the green traffic expert Michael Cramer came to word. With this coalition agreement, he said, was the monorail “, in fact, dead.” 14 months later, Mehdorn buried the TRANS-rapid route to Hamburg.

Of these plans remained up to the present day kept free route between the Spandau train station and the shopping centre. Here should be expanded in the coming years, the stunted Spandau train station. The ICE is driving the car in 90 minutes and Hamburg – with Tempo 230.

Many, many more Transrapid dreams were spun after 2000, if to Moscow to Tenerife, to Schönefeld, Bavaria or NRW. In 2006, the myth ended Transrapid abruptly – in the crash of a test train 23 people died.

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top German technology of The last battle for the Transrapid

Daniel Delhaes

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Eckardt Rohkamm, Chairman of the Board of the Transrapid manufacturer Thyssen (l.), and the Federal Minister of transport Wissmann (CDU), 1996.Photo: imago/photothek