[OpenTTD] Modern Maglev Trains

[Erato]

This is the development thread of the Modern Maglev Trains set.
There are currently 39 maglev trains in the Modern Maglev Trains set. The trains in this set are all real maglev vehicles. The set features historical maglev trains, such as the Birmingham Maglev and the M-Bahn. It features maglevs that are currently in use, such as the Linimo and the ECOBEE and trains that will soon(tm) be operational, such as the Linglong Hao and the L0 series. The first train in this set is designed in 1971. This set includes more Maglevs than you could ever bother to want.



Download:
Version 1.4.1:

Modern_Maglev_Trains_1.4.1.grf

(215.17 KiB) Downloaded 800 times

Version 1.2:

Modern Maglev Trains 1.2.grf

(158.45 KiB) Downloaded 760 times

What can you do to help?
For starters, you could playtest and report any problems. Whether it's balancing issues, things not looking right, or things functioning improperly.
If you find images or data of a maglev train that I might not be aware of, please inform me as I might want to include them. Sprites are also always welcome.

[kamnet]

Would you consider adding the HSST-03 (1985) that ran at several world expos, as well as the HSST-100S (1995)? Maybe also the M-Bahn?

[Erato]

So I made 4 new maglev trains to the set:

maglevnew.png (1.81 KiB) Viewed 15415 times

ModernMaglevTrains.grf

(26.36 KiB) Downloaded 675 times

[Erato]

After a lot of trial and error. Especially the latter, I made the set modular, so it'd be easier to add new trains to the set. (Not that there are that many
I added the train that's going to be the Changsha Maglev. Wasn't this train in the first version? Yes, but I found out what the difference between the Zhuifengzhe and the Zhuifengzhe is... I used the English name for the former and the Chinese name for the latter for the convenience. I actually never found a source calling the first the Zhuifengzhe, but I did find a source naming the latter the Zhuifengzhe, saying that it's Chinese for "Wind Chaser". So I went with what I went with.
I also tweaked a few sprites and renamed the M-Bahn, as that was the name of the line, and not the name of the vehicle.

Some things I have left to do:
- balance the prices
- assign a logical amount of kWs (power) to the trains
- get mass values for both Zhuifengzhes, Line S1 and the L0-series.

I would love to get some help with that. This is what I've got so far: this

Anyhow, version 0.3:

The maglevs in version 0.3:

maglev3.png (4.98 KiB) Viewed 15192 times

version 0.3 itself. Delete the previous versions as the name of the file is different, but the name of the set isn't.

MMT.grf

(30.41 KiB) Downloaded 684 times

In other news, I've found a maglev train hidden in the back of the Korean Wikipedia, the SUMA550 a quick google-images gives you 1 youtube video and 4 photos. Clicking on the images (and the "similar images") you find 1 technological document about the train 2 articles written about it. The latter links to another article about this train and maglev transport in general. Unfortunately it's all in Korean, so you'll have to make do with top-notch Google translation.
Unfortunately, none of the articles give me the passenger capacity, which is sad. Based on the train itself, it probably has either 24 or 16 seats. Not sure about the amount of people who can stand, I suppose at least 44 or 60 people, depending on the amount of seats (assuming that they're not going full "screw a) your luggage and b) your personal space" like the NS (Dutch Railways) (Please NS, fix your ***).) This makes for a total of 68 or 76 people. Which seems reasonable, given that it's 1 metre shorter than the UTM-02 and the fact that a) it's only one car, so there are two heads on one car and b) the heads are steeper, making for less room for people to stand. </rambling>

Please enjoy this unbalanced version of my Modern Maglev Trains set.

[kamnet]

Assume 4 people standing per square meter unless otherwise documented. Then all you have to do is find a schematic or the seat layouts and figure out how many free meters are available to stand in.

[Erato]

Assume 4 people standing per square meter unless otherwise documented. Then all you have to do is find a schematic or the seat layouts and figure out how many free meters are available to stand in.

They're not there, I don't have that kind of estimations going for me, but I found a cross section of the vehicle in the technological analysis document (image below) and it showed room for about 3 people (chairs) between the chairs. I figured based on the amount of windows that there were 6 (or 4) rows of 4 chairs, thus 24 (or 16) seats. Then I figured that in the width of one chair (inc. leg space) (based on experience with packed busses and trains), two people could stand, which means that there are 6 (or 4) rows of 4 chairs and 6 people standing. Thus 60 (or 40) people. And then we have the entrance/exit path, which is one (or 3) chair(s) long and 7 chairs wide, which makes for 14 (or 42) people, which totals to... 74 or 82 people... Interesting. I got a different value from last time...


Also. I've coded and textured it, but I don't like it too much:

On top of having absolutely no function, it just looks off in the maglev tracks.

[kamnet]

Yes, the default OpenTTD maglev tracks are based around Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS) and not a monorail-based Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS). We could use some new tracks for that.

[Erato]

Yes, the default OpenTTD maglev tracks are based around Electrodynamic Suspension (EDS) and not a monorail-based Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS). We could use some new tracks for that.

Well, the others look OK in the track, because they're wrapped around the guideway just a little, and it's not very pronounced:

But as for the SUMA550, it's very pronounced:


On top of that, I don't see any reason to make a new tracktype just for this one bugger.

[kamnet]

Hm, that looks more like a traditional ALWEG monorail profile. *ponders*

[supermop]

On the only maglev I have ridden - Shanghai - there was definitely no standing, and I don't recall there being nearly that much free space in the aisle. I am sure some of the lower speed urban maglevs are designed around standee, but not the systems that are aiming to compete with HSR. Keep in mind that this isn't like a subway where you can rely on being so packed in that you do not need to hold on to anything - anyone standing in the middle of that aisle without a pole to hold onto is going to roll to the back of the car when the train accelerates.

[Sylf]

Something to consider about standing passengers...
One thing Linimo experienced is, when too many passengers were on board, the car was no longer levitating.

[Erato]

On the only maglev I have ridden - Shanghai - there was definitely no standing, and I don't recall there being nearly that much free space in the aisle. I am sure some of the lower speed urban maglevs are designed around standee, but not the systems that are aiming to compete with HSR. Keep in mind that this isn't like a subway where you can rely on being so packed in that you do not need to hold on to anything - anyone standing in the middle of that aisle without a pole to hold onto is going to roll to the back of the car when the train accelerates.

Something to consider about standing passengers...
One thing Linimo experienced is, when too many passengers were on board, the car was no longer levitating.

The SUMA550 is the only train I couldn't find values for. For the other trains, I just used the given values, which are probably good.
The SUMA550-01, the vehicle in question, can only go 30 km/h, partially due to the track being way too small. The SUMA550-01 is a prototype for a train that will be able to go 550 km/h, and thus aims to be a super high speed maglev. SUMA, here stands for "korea SUper speed MAglev" don't ask. I don't invent these things. There have been statements made that the SUMA550 will be competing with the Transrapid and the L0 series. Thus I get your point and I understand why the passenger capacity for this vehicle should be lower, and I will act accordingly. The Korean prototype will be even more eyecandy in the next version. This is not a sad thing; it was unplayable to begin with due to the slow speed, just like the HSST-03. There are only 9 trains slower in the 2cc set. Even Le Belge, the first train, is faster than the HSST-03 and the SUMA550-01.
As for the aisle, the cross section that I found was the only clue to it's insides, so I wouldn't know if there would actually be more seats or not.

Hm, that looks more like a traditional ALWEG monorail profile. *ponders*

Coincidence? I think so. It's a monorail maglev train anyway.

[kamnet]

Hm, that looks more like a traditional ALWEG monorail profile. *ponders*

Coincidence? I think so. It's a monorail maglev train anyway.

Well, I mean when you look at most maglevs that use a monorail to guide the vehicle, they're wide and thin on the top. With ALWEG-style monorails, the beam is narrow and tall. That's what the SUMA looks like.

[Erato]

Coincidence? I think so. It's a monorail maglev train anyway.

Well, I mean when you look at most maglevs that use a monorail to guide the vehicle, they're wide and thin on the top. With ALWEG-style monorails, the beam is narrow and tall. That's what the SUMA looks like.

Ah, that's what you mean. Yes, that's true. As I said, the bogie is way more pronounced than that of other vehicles. It's odd, really, the guideway is maybe 20~30 cm, whilst other maglevs do fine with <10cm, probably even <5cm with only the Transrapid having a relatively thicker guideway. The crossection also shows that the LSM isn't even as far as it can go, and it shows that the guidance magnet has way more space on the guideway going for it than most other vehicles. The main argument against Maglev trains is the cost, and I don't think having an oversized guideway improves on that, as it costs only more materials to make. It's strange.

[Erato]

So I tried a new style, and it looks good so far:

The reasoning behind this style is to make the trains so that they fit in better with the other sets, like the 2cc set or the Japan trains set. So I made noisy textures that I can use for the colouring to get a less plastic-like texture.

[Erato]

This took me like a day, but it's finally done.

Sorry for the crash, it was REALLY difficult to get them all in there (I did the outer ring first :\), and when I went and got them to line up nicely, I pressed "stop" just a little too late. :\

How do you guys like it?

[Pyoro]

Bit difficult to tell with the zoom-in look maybe, but I'm always for a slightly muted look. Perhaps a tad too much grey? dunno. I'm kinda thinking of the DBSetXL ICE and how mb handled the white there.

[Erato]

Bit difficult to tell with the zoom-in look maybe, but I'm always for a slightly muted look. Perhaps a tad too much grey? dunno. I'm kinda thinking of the DBSetXL ICE and how mb handled the white there.

Ah yes, too gray. I couldn't find DBSetXL so I went with 2cc's ICE and got some other MUs involved. I came up with this: (upper left)

[Pyoro]

dunno what the others will say, but that looks pretty good to me

[Erato]

So I finished it, and I must say, it looks good:

(with the Japan set, because it's a Japanese train.)


I like this bright, straight, but detailed style and will be redoing all the trains.