Maglev Video Gallery ii

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Technical details of the Transrapid Maglev system, including motor technology, wireless signalling and guideway characteristics. 8:20 min. 26.1 MB Embedded^(#) *** ^(5/5)

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Promotional video of the Shanghai Transrapid system. 4:52 min. 15.3 MB Embedded^(#) * ^(3/5)

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A detailed history of maglev technology. 16:37 Min. 52.2 MB Embedded^(#) * ^(5/5)

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Board the TR-08 for a speed test around the Transrapid Test Facility in Emsland, Germany 7:40 Min. 24 MB Embedded^(#) ^(4/5)

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Promotional video of the Shanghai Transrapid system. 5:34 Min. 35 MB Embedded^(#) * ^(5/5)

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Welcome to the fascinating world of Maglev. We have collected the most entertaining and the most informative clips to make this your one-stop shop for awe inspiring maglev technology in action. Have a taste of the 500Km/h future!

Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train is a proposed maglev train line from Shanghai to Hangzhou, in eastern China. On February 22nd 2006 the Chinese government decided to build this extension, starting talks about the details of the construction contracts with Germany's Transrapid Konsortium (mainly ThyssenKrupp and Siemens), world leader in maglev technology. [edit] Introduction The total length of the line will be 169.725 kilometers — 64.485 kilometers in Shanghai and 105.240 kilometers in Zhejiang province — between the two Chinese cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou. Four stations are to be built, in Expo, south Shanghai, Jiaxing and east Hangzhou. The design speed will be 450 kilometers per hour, and the train will finish the 169.725 kilometers line in about 27 minutes. Construction will probably start end of 2006 and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 Shanghai Expo. The line will become the first inter-city Maglev rail line in commercial service in the world. The line is an extension of the only other Maglev line in commercial service so far, the Shanghai airport Maglev line. The total budget of the project will be 30 billion RMB yuan (about 4 billion USD).

Shanghai Maglev Train From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Shanghai Maglev Train (Shanghai Transrapid) (上海磁浮示范运营线) is the first commercial high-speed maglev line in the world. Construction began in March, 2001, and public service commenced on January 1, 2003. Shanghai Maglev Train Enlarge Shanghai Maglev Train Contents [hide] * 1 Introduction * 2 Future * 3 External links * 4 See also [edit] Introduction The line is operated by Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co., Ltd.. The train can reach almost 200 mph (321.87 km/h) in 2 minutes, with a maxium speed of 267 mph (429.69 km/h). The Shanghai Transrapid project took 1.2 billion dollars (10 billion yuan) and 2.5 years to complete the 19 miles (30.58 km) track. The train runs from Longyang Road station on the Shanghai subway line 2 to Pudong International Airport, and the total track length is about 30 kilometres. The train takes 7 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the journey, and its top speed is 431 kilometers per hour. As of June 2005, the one way ticket price is 50 RMB (about 6 US dollars) and 40 RMB for airline passengers with proof of an airline ticket purchase. A round-trip ticket costs 80 RMB. * Operate time: 7:00 to 21:00 * Highest Speed: 430km/h (Normal Times) or 300km/h (Extend Times) * Run time: 7 mins and 20 sec. in Normal Times, while 8 mins and 10 sec. in extend times * Normal Times is 8:30-17:00, Extend Time is 7:00 to 8:30 and 17:00-21:00 * Interval: 15mins. [edit] Future Maglev ridership has been below expectations, due to limited operating hours, the short line, the high price of the tickets and the inconvenient location of the Longyang Road terminus. There is significant local criticism that the project was showy and wasteful, delivering no practical benefit to residents. Various extension plans have been mooted. In January 2006, the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau proposed an extension to Hongqiao Airport via Shanghai South Railway Station and the Expo 2010 site, with a possible continuation towards Hangzhou. If built, the line would allow transferring between the airports, which are located 55 km apart, in about 15 minutes. The plan is still awaiting approval from the central government.

Transrapid From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Enlarge Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Transrapid is a German monorail system using magnetic levitation. Based on a patent from 1934, planning of an actual Transrapid system started in 1969. The test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany was completed in 1987, and in 1989 a Transrapid train reached a record-breaking speed of 436 kilometers per hour. Today the speed-record has exceeded 500 km/h (310 mph). The system is developed and marketed by Siemens AG and ThyssenKrupp. Contents [hide] * 1 Economic and environmental consideration * 2 Technology * 3 Transportation system for Germany * 4 Construction costs * 5 Maintenance costs * 6 Transrapid in China * 7 New projects for Germany * 8 New project in the UK * 9 See also * 10 External links [edit] Economic and environmental consideration The Transrapid is said to be more energy efficient than a standard train and considerably less noisy. This is chiefly due to the absence of friction between train and track. (However, for high-speed trains in general, most energy is consumed to overcome aerodynamic drag, as it scales, other than the wheels' friction, with the cube of the velocity.) It is also capable of climbing significantly steeper tracks, rendering it especially suitable for mountainous regions. It is possible to flexibly adapt its guideway to the landscape and to have it tightly follow existing roads, railroad tracks, and power lines. Therefore, no significant interventions in the environment are necessary and pristine landscape is protected. Furthermore, the original use of the landscape under the guideway is still possible (farming or grazing for example). However, track building costs are higher than for conventional high-speed trains. [edit] Technology See also: Technology in the Magnetic levitation train article. The synchronous longstator linear motor of the Transrapid maglev system is used both for propulsion and braking. It functions like a rotating electric motor whose stator is cut open and stretched along under the guideway. Inside the motor windings, alternating current generates a magnetic traveling field which moves the vehicle without contact. The support magnets in the vehicle function as the excitation portion (rotor). The respective magnetic traveling field works in only one direction, and therefore makes moving train collisions less likely, as more than one train on the track section would travel in the same direction. The superspeed maglev system has no wheels, axles, transmissions, or pantographs. It does not roll; it hovers. Electronic systems guarantee that the clearance remains constant (nominally 10 mm). To hover, the Transrapid requires less power than its air conditioning equipment. The levitation system and all onboard electronics are supplied by the power recovered from harmonic oscillations of magnetic field of the track's linear stator (Those oscillations being parasitic cannot be used for propulsion anyway). In case of power failure of the track's propulsion system Transrapid car uses on-board backup batteries that can supply power to the levitation system. [edit] Transportation system for Germany The Transrapid originated as one of the competing concepts for new land-based high speed public transportation for Germany. Another competing concept was the InterCity Express (ICE). The ICE "won" in that it was adopted nationwide in Germany. It is argued that the ICE won out in part because of its ability to run on conventional tracks and railway stations (albeit on lines not specifically designed or augmented for high-speed operation, the original ICE trains could not run faster than any other train. However special ICE units (dubbed ICE-T for InterCity Express Triebzug) were built incorporating "tilting" cars like the Italian Pendolino trains that allow for faster operation on older lines). Nevertheless, the Transrapid was seen as the next step beyond the ICE and a major asset for possible export and consequently development was not scrapped at this point, but continued as well. However, in the 1990s, intense political discussions about the Transrapid started in Germany. Though technically superior to normal railroad systems, the transrapid was considered too expensive, as the companies developing it relied on federal subsidies. The controversy mostly raged over the question whether public money should be invested in construction of a track for commercial use. Plans for a track from Berlin to Hamburg were canceled because legislators were not convinced that the project would ever become profitable in competition to the existing (very old and slow) conventional railway line and hence were unwilling to invest the money in times of tight budgets - in spite of the alleged importance of having a working Transrapid system in Germany in order to ease marketing of the system abroad. Some even got as far as arguing that the Transrapid was generally unsuitable for Germany itself because of Germany's many larger and relatively close cities (with the resulting many stops at short intervalls, the time needed to repeatedly accelerate to operation speed and to decelerate before stations becomes a limiting factor in average travel speed for high-speed transportation systems) and that a demonstration line would be better situated in a country where distances between cities are far larger than in Germany. [edit] Construction costs Building a maglev track is less costly than a comparatively HSR line. The cost is approximately $100 million per mile including stations, trains, a maintenance facility and guideways. The non-contact technology uses factory manufactured girders. To construct a maglev track is approx. 20 to 50 % less expensive in terms of construction. However, the vehicles cost much more than conventional high-speed trains bringing overall project costs ahead of HSR track projects. In comparison, maglev technology might have equal or slightly higher costs by giving commuters much better time saving benefits. Thus, maglev technology gives a favorable ratio of travel time to infrastructure costs. However, due to its high costs, passenger comfort may be compromised as interior seating takes on more of a commercial jet-aircraft configuration than a typical passenger train one. One important consideration is that on a daily basis, each guideway must be taken off line for approximately four (4) hours for inspection. [edit] Maintenance costs While maglev costs more in terms of the overall project expenses, it saves in maintenance efforts and costs as well as energy consumption. Even though there is no long-time experience drawn from any commercial application, simulations and first data obtained from the Shanghai project prove the assumptions. [edit] Transrapid in China Transrapid magnetic levitation train in Shanghai, connecting the subway station to the Pudong International Airport Enlarge Transrapid magnetic levitation train in Shanghai, connecting the subway station to the Pudong International Airport The only success so far was in the year 2000, when the Chinese government ordered a Transrapid track to be built connecting Shanghai to its Pudong International Airport. It was inaugurated in 2002. Regular daily trips started in March 2004. However, low passenger numbers, due to the remoteness of the terminal station from the city center and high ticket costs, hampered the line. During the first week, the average number of riders per train was only 73 people, while the maximum seating capacity is 440 passengers. One-way trip prices have recently been reduced to 50 Renminbi ($6 USD). Nevertheless, the Shanghai Project was designed primarily to demonstrate the state-of-the-art technology and capabilities of the Transrapid system. A high tilt compared with a relatively high speed of 430 km/h (267 mph) and leaving passengers in the outskirts of Pudong shows that the Chinese authorities were more interested in the technology transfer than commercial success. However, in terms of safety, reliability, availability, and functionality the Transrapid maglev system has demonstrated the readiness of this technology for commercial applications. The Transrapid manufacturers hoped to obtain a subsequent order from China for a track connecting Shanghai with Beijing. Hence it was considered a serious drawback when in 2004 it is said that China considered to choose the Japanese high-speed train Shinkansen, to the disappointment of Siemens, which had hoped to sell at least the ICE which is manufactured by them as the Transrapid system partly is. Public disapproval of the idea shifted the decision further into the future. In November 2004 talks began about extending the track from Shanghai to Hangzhou, 180 km away. A maglev would shorten the travel time to less than a fifth of its current value, from 2½ hours to 27 minutes. On February 26th, Transrapid officials confided to German reporters that they had received initial approval for the line extension to Hangzhou, although they were quick to point out this is the first approval of many required for construction of an extension line. [edit] New projects for Germany A Transrapid connection of the Bavarian capital Munich to its international airport is now being planned. It would reduce the current connection time via S-Bahn (German city railroad system) from about 40 minutes to 10 minutes. [edit] New project in the UK The Transrapid is also being considered by the UK government as a 435 km/h (270 mph) link between London and Glasgow.

Maglev train From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Maglev can also mean general magnetic levitation. Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Enlarge Transrapid at the Emsland test facility Maglev in Shanghai Enlarge Maglev in Shanghai Inside the Shanghai maglev Enlarge Inside the Shanghai maglev Magnetic levitation transport, or maglev, is a form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles via electromagnetic energy. This has advantages in terms of speed and ride comfort compared to wheeled mass transit systems - potentially, maglevs could reach velocities comparable to turboprop and jet aircraft (500 to 580 km/h) - but although the idea is decades old, technological and economic limitations have caused relatively few full-scale systems to be built. Maglev technology has minimal overlap with wheeled train technology and is not compatible with conventional railroad tracks. Because they cannot share existing infrastructure, maglevs must be designed as complete transportation systems. The term "maglev" refers not only to the vehicles, but to the vehicle/guideway interaction; each being a unique design element specifically tailored to the other to create and precisely control magnetic levitation. The various technological approaches to maglev can be very similar or very different, depending upon the manufacturer. World leader in maglev technology is Germany's Siemens and ThyssenKrupp with its Transrapid system. Due to the lack of physical contact between the track and the vehicle, the only friction exerted is that between the vehicles and the air. Consequently maglevs can potentially travel at very high speeds with reasonable energy consumption and noise levels. Systems have been proposed that operate at up to 650 km/h (404 mph), which is far faster than is practical with conventional rail transport. The very high maximum speed potential of maglevs make them competitors to airline routes of 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) or less. The world's first commercial application of a high-speed maglev line is the IOS (initial operating segment) demonstration line in Shanghai that transports people 30 km (18.6 miles) to the airport in just 7 minutes 20 seconds (top speed of 431 km/h or 268 mph, average speed 250 km/h or 150 mph). Other maglev applications worldwide are being investigated for feasibility. The futurist American writer, Allan Silliphant, has proposed a fundamental model of urban metro transit that addresses the problem of going from a central point such as a city center, or an airport, to various points on the periphery of a circle around that center. [citation needed] Using Los Angeles, as an example, it can take 2.5 hours to cross the city by auto. This is true of most very large world cities. A deeply constructed maglev radial system, below any existing structures or utilites, can be bored out in virgin bedrock or undisturbed sediment. With a depth of 200 to 300 feet it would be possible to go almost anywhere in most metro areas. A transfer point in the middle will reduce the number of trains needed. Non-stop, cross-metro tubes could also be constructed, next to the tube terminating in the center hub, avoiding a transfer. Present maglev speeds of even 200 miles/hour will greatly facilitate movement within an urban center. Surface maglev trains can continue the outbound movement to the next urban center where a similar "hub and spoke" maglev deep tube system can be established. This can save many billions in fossil fuel consumption, especially if very quick access can be provided at the stations to rental cars and timely connection to public transport on the surface. Contents [hide] * 1 Technology o 1.1 Three types of technology o 1.2 Inductrack o 1.3 Spacecraft research o 1.4 Pros and Cons of different technologies * 2 Alleged Theft of Maglev Technology * 3 Existing Maglev Systems o 3.1 Birmingham 1984–1995 o 3.2 Berlin 1989–1991 o 3.3 Emsland, Germany o 3.4 Shanghai Maglev Train o 3.5 JR-Maglev o 3.6 Linimo (Tobu Kyuryo Line) o 3.7 FTA's UMTD program o 3.8 Southwest Jiaotong University, China o 3.9 U.S. patent, 1969 * 4 Economics * 5 Under Construction o 5.1 Old Dominion University * 6 Proposals o 6.1 Tokyo - Osaka o 6.2 Munich o 6.3 Shanghai - Hangzhou - Beijing o 6.4 London - Edinburgh and/or Glasgow o 6.5 Southern California, Los Angeles - Las Vegas o 6.6 Baltimore - Washington, D.C. o 6.7 Honolulu o 6.8 San Diego o 6.9 Pittsburgh o 6.10 Berlin - Hamburg o 6.11 Vactrain o 6.12 UniModal * 7 Maglev in Culture * 8 References * 9 See also * 10 External links o 10.1 General o 10.2 Transrapid o 10.3 Japanese Maglev + 10.3.1 Linear Motor Car + 10.3.2 Linimo o 10.4 Maglev train companies [edit] Technology Maglev Propulsion Enlarge Maglev Propulsion See also: Fundamental Technology Elements in the JR-Maglev article. See also: Technology in the Transrapid article. [edit] Three types of technology There are three primary types of maglev technology: * one that relies on feedback controlled electromagnets (electromagnetic suspension or EMS), * one that relies on superconducting magnets (electrodynamic suspension or EDS), * and a newer, potentially more economical system that uses permanent magnets (Inductrack). Japan and Germany are active in maglev research, producing several different approaches and designs. In one design, the train can be levitated by the repulsive force of like poles or the attractive force of opposite poles of magnets. The train can be propelled by a linear motor on the track or on the train, or both. Massive electrical induction coils are placed along the track in order to produce the magnetic field necessary to propel the train. Static magnetic bearings using only electromagnets and permanent magnets are unstable because of Earnshaw's theorem; on the other hand diamagnetic and superconducting magnets can support a maglev stably. Some conventional maglev systems are stabilized with electromagnets that have electronic stabilization. This works by constantly measuring the bearing distance and adjusting the electromagnet current accordingly. The weight of the large electromagnet is a major design issue. A very strong magnetic field is required to levitate a massive train, so conventional maglev research is using superconductor research for an efficient electromagnet. [edit] Inductrack A newer, perhaps less-expensive, system is called "Inductrack". The technique has a load-carrying ability related to the speed of the vehicle, because it depends on currents induced in a passive electromagnetic array by permanent magnets. In the prototype, the permanent magnets are in a cart; horizontally to provide lift, and vertically to provide stability. The array of wire loops is in the track. The magnets and cart are unpowered, except by the speed of the cart. Inductrack was originally developed as a magnetic motor and bearing for a flywheel to store power. With only slight design changes, the bearings were unrolled into a linear track. Inductrack was developed by physicist Richard Post at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Inductrack uses Halbach arrays for stabilization. Halbach arrays are arrangements of permanent magnets that stabilize moving loops of wire without electronic stabilization. Halbach arrays were originally developed for beam guidance of particle accelerators. They also have a magnetic field on the track side only, thus reducing any potential effects on the passengers. [edit] Spacecraft research Currently, some space agencies, such as NASA, are researching the use of maglev systems to launch spacecraft. In order to do so, the space agency would have to get a maglev-launched spacecraft up to escape velocity, a task that would otherwise require elaborate timing of magnetic pulses (see coilgun) or a very fast, very powerful electric current (see railgun). Maglev-launching could also be used to make conventional launches more efficient: accelerating a craft up to mach 1 before firing the main engines can save 30% of the weight of the launch vehicle (Heller, 1998). [edit] Pros and Cons of different technologies Each implementation of the magnetic levitation principle for train-type travel involves advantages and disadvantages. Time will tell as to which principle, and whose implementation, wins out commercially. Technology Pros Cons EMS (Electromagnetic) Trains do not have to carry their propulsion system; can attain very high speeds (500 km/h); magnetic fields inside and outside the vehicle are insignificant; highly reliable computer controlled operations; proven, commercially available technology Guideway includes stator packs along entire length which add cost to construction, but do enable high speeds without vehicle weight penalty. Superconducting EDS (Electrodynamic) Powerful onboard superconducting magnets enable highest recorded train speeds (581 km/h) and heavy load capacity; has recently demonstrated (Dec 2005) successful operations using high temperature superconductors (HTS) in its onboard magnets, cooled with inexpensive liquid nitrogen Strong magnetic fields onboard the train make the train inaccessible to passengers with pacemakers; vehicle must be wheeled for travel at low speeds; system per mile cost still considered prohibitive; the system is not yet out of prototype phase. Inductrack System (Permanent Magnets) Failsafe suspension - no power required to activate magnets; can generate enough force at low speeds (around 5 km/h) to levitate maglev train; in case of power failure cars slow down on their own in a safe, steady and predictable manner before coming to a stop Requires wheels. New technology that is still under development (2005) and has as yet no commercial version or full scale system prototype. It must be noted, that the Inductrack and the Superconducting EDS are only levitation technologies. In both cases, vehicles need some other technology for propulsion. A linear motor is used for propulsion in Japanese Superconducting EDS MLX01 maglev. Inductrack, should it ever be developed into a commercial transport technology, will have to solve the propulsion problem, as well as the need to deliver the propulsion energy onboard (due to itself being a completely passive technology). A Jet engine or a linear motor are being considered. The German Transrapid electromagnetic maglev uses a linear motor for both levitation and propulsion. Neither Inductrack nor the Superconducting EDS are able to levitate vehicles at a standstill, although Inductrack provides levitation down to a much lower speed. Wheels are required for both systems, whereas EMS systems are wheel-less. The German Transrapid, Japanese HSST (Linimo), and Korean Rotem maglevs levitate at a standstill, with electricity extracted from guideway using power rails for the latter two, and wirelessly for Transrapid. If guideway power is lost on the move, the Transrapid is still able to generate levitation down to 10 km/h speed, using the power from onboard batteries. This is not the case with the HSST and Rotem systems. [edit] Alleged Theft of Maglev Technology In a serious incident in December 2004, Chinese engineers broke into the Transrapid maintenance room in the middle of the night in Shanghai, took measurements of the train, and even filmed the whole incident, according to the German Economic Weekly, Wirtschaftswoche. Wirtschaftswoche further speculated that it was a case of Transrapid technology theft. Furthering the Transrapid Consortium's unease, the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group has announced it has developed its own high speed maglev technology, which it claims to be superior to that of Transrapid's, less than 2 years after the break-in. Trials are supposed to begin this year of the new 'Chinese' maglev technology in Shanghai. According to the Spiegel Online however, the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group has been tinkering with maglev technology since 1986, so it is unknown if the maglev train about to run test trials in Shanghai is the result of technology theft or actual domestic research culminating in the creation of this new maglev train system. However, the Changchun Railway Vehicles company announced in 2001, before the Transrapid maglev was in operation in Shanghai, that it was developing a competing maglev system and project in northeastern China. It is one of a few Chinese companies now extensively and independently researching maglev technology. [edit] Existing Maglev Systems JR-Maglev at Yamanashi Enlarge JR-Maglev at Yamanashi [edit] Birmingham 1984–1995 The world's first commercial automated system was a low-speed maglev shuttle that ran from the airport terminal of Birmingham International Airport (UK) to the nearby Birmingham International railway station from 1984 to 1995. The length of the track was 600 m, and trains "flew" at an altitude of 15 mm. It was in operation for nearly eleven years, but obsolescence problems with the electronic systems made it unreliable in its later years and it has now been replaced with a cable-drawn system. [edit] Berlin 1989–1991 Main article: M-Bahn In West Berlin, the M-Bahn was built in the late 1980s. It was a driverless maglev system with a 1.6 km track connecting three stations. Testing in passenger traffic started in August 1989, and regular operation started in July 1991. Although the line largely followed a new elevated alignment, it terminated at the U-Bahn station Gleisdreieck, where it took over a platform that was then no longer in use; it was from a line that formerly ran to East Berlin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, plans were set in motion to reconnect this line (today's U2). Deconstruction of the M-Bahn line began only two months after regular service began and was completed in February 1992. [edit] Emsland, Germany Transrapid, a German maglev company, has a test track in Emsland with a total length of 31.5 km. [edit] Shanghai Maglev Train Main article: Shanghai Maglev Train Transrapid constructed the first operational high-speed conventional maglev railway in the world, the Shanghai Maglev Train from downtown Shanghai, China to the new Shanghai airport at Pudong. It was inaugurated in 2002. The highest speed achieved on the Shanghai track has been 501 km/h (311 mph), over a track length of 30 km. Transrapid uses EMS technology. The track will be extended by 160 km before the 2010 World Expo begins in Shanghai. [edit] JR-Maglev Main article: JR-Maglev Japan has a test track in Yamanashi prefecture where test trains JR-Maglev MLX01 have reached 581 km/h (363 mph), faster than wheeled trains. These trains use superconducting magnets which allow for a larger gap, and repulsive-type "Electro-Dynamic Suspension" (EDS). In comparison Transrapid uses conventional electromagnets and attractive-type "Electro-Magnetic Suspension" (EMS). These "Superconducting Maglev Shinkansen", developed by the Central Japan Railway Co. ("JR Central") and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, are currently the fastest trains in the world, achieving a record speed of 581 km/h on December 2, 2003. [edit] Linimo (Tobu Kyuryo Line) Linimo train approaching Banpaku Kinen Koen, towards Fujigaoka Station Enlarge Linimo train approaching Banpaku Kinen Koen, towards Fujigaoka Station Main article: Linimo The world's first commercial automated "Urban Maglev" system commenced operation in March 2005 in Aichi, Japan. This is the nine-station 8.9 km long Tobu-kyuryo Line, otherwise known as Linimo. The line has a minimum operating radius of 75 m and a maximum gradient of 6%. The linear-motor magnetic-levitated train has a top speed of 100 km/h. The line serves the local community as well as the Expo 2005 fair site. The trains were designed by the Chubu HSST Development Corporation, which also operates a test track in Nagoya. Urban-type maglevs patterned after the HSST have been constructed and demonstrated in Korea, and a Korean commercial version Rotem is now under construction in Daejeon and projected to go into operation by April of 2007. [edit] FTA's UMTD program In the US, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Urban Maglev Technology Demonstration program has funded the design of several low-speed urban maglev demonstration projects. It has assessed HSST for the Maryland Department of Transportation and maglev technology for the Colorado Department of Transportation. The FTA has also funded work by General Atomics at California University of Pennsylvania to demonstrate new maglev designs, the MagneMotion M3 and of the Maglev2000 of Florida superconducting EDS system. Other US urban maglev demonstration projects of note are the LEVX in Washington State and the Massachusetts-based Magplane. [edit] Southwest Jiaotong University, China On December 31, 2000, the first crewed high-temperature superconducting maglev was tested successfully at Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, China. This system is based on the principle that bulk high-temperature superconductors can be levitated or suspended stably above or below a permanent magnet. The load was over 530 kg and the levitation gap over 20 mm. The system uses liquid nitrogen, which is very cheap, to cool the superconductor. [edit] U.S. patent, 1969 The first patent for a magnetic levitation train propelled by linear motors was U.S. patent 3,470,828, issued in October 1969 to James R. Powell and Gordon T. Danby. The technology underlying it was invented by Eric Laithwaite, and described by him in "Proceedings of the Institution of Electrical Engineers", vol. 112, 1965, pp. 2361-2375, under the title "Electromagnetic Levitation". Laithwaite patented the linear motor in 1948. [edit] Economics High-speed maglevs can be expensive to build, but are comparable to the capital costs of building a traditional high-speed rail system from scratch, a highway system or a system of airports.[citation needed] More importantly, maglevs are significantly less expensive to operate and maintain (O&M) than traditional high-speed trains, planes or intercity buses. The data coming out of the Shanghai maglev demonstration project indicates that O&M costs are quite low, and are indeed covered by the current relatively low volume of 7,000 passengers per day.[citation needed] Ridership on this Pudong International Airport line is expected to rise dramatically once the line is extended from Longyang Road metro station all the way to Shanghai's downtown train depot. The Shanghai maglev cost US$1.2B to build which means that at 20,000 passengers a day at US$6 per passenger it will take around 30 years to pay off just the capital costs, not accounting for track maintenance, salaries and electricity. This computes to US$60 million per mile. The proposed Chuo Shinkansen line is estimated to cost approximately US$82 billion to build.[citation needed] However, when one considers the cost of airport construction (e.g. Hong Kong Airport cost US$20 billion to build in 1998) and 8-lane Interstate highway systems that cost around US$50 million per mile, it becomes immediately apparent that maglev's costs are competitive, especially considering that they can handle much higher volumes of passengers per hour than airports or 8-lane highways and do it without introducing any air pollution along their ROW's (right of way). Low-speed maglevs (100 km/h), such as the Japanese HSST or Korean Rotem, are expected to cost somewhere around US$30 million per mile.[citation needed] Besides offering improved O&M costs over other transit systems, these low-speed maglevs provide ultra-high levels of operational reliability and introduce zero noise or air pollution into dense urban settings. As maglev systems are deployed around the world, experts expect construction costs to drop as new construction methods are perfected. [edit] Under Construction [edit] Old Dominion University A track of less than a mile in length has been constructed at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The system is not operational, but research is currently ongoing to resolve some stability issues with the system. This system uses a "smart train, dumb track" that involves most of the sensors, magnets, and computation occurring on the train rather than the track. This system will cost less to build per mile than existing systems. [edit] Proposals [edit] Tokyo - Osaka If a proposed Chuo Shinkansen is built, connecting Tokyo to Osaka by maglev, the existing test track in Yamanashi prefecture would be part of the line. [edit] Munich A Transrapid connection of the Bavarian capital Munich to its international airport (37 km) is now being planned. It would reduce the current connection time via S-Bahn (German city railroad system) from about 40 minutes to 10 minutes. [edit] Shanghai - Hangzhou - Beijing China has decided to build a second Transrapid maglev rail with a length of 160 km from Shanghai to Hangzhou (Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev line). Talks with Germany and Transrapid Konsortium about the details of the construction contracts have started. On March 7th, the Chinese Minister of Transportation was quoted by several Chinese and Western newspapers as saying the line was approved. Construction will probably start towards the end of 2006 and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 Shanghai Expo, becoming the first inter-city Maglev rail line in commercial service in the world. The line will be an extension of the Shanghai airport Maglev line and the first part of a possible maglev line linking Shanghai and Beijing. [edit] London - Edinburgh and/or Glasgow A maglev line has recently been proposed in the United Kingdom from London to Edinburgh and/or Glasgow with several route options through the Midlands, Northwest and Northeast, and is reported to be under favourable consideration by the government. A further high speed link is also being investigated as an option between Glasgow to Edinburgh though there is no settled technology for this concept yet, ie (Maglev/Hi Speed Electric etc) [1] [2] [edit] Southern California, Los Angeles - Las Vegas Main article: California-Nevada Interstate Maglev High-speed maglev lines between major cities of southern California and Las Vegas are also being studied via the California-Nevada Interstate Maglev Project. This plan was originally supposed to be part of a I-5 or I-15 expansion plan, but the federal government has ruled it must be separated from interstate work projects. Since the federal government decision, private groups from Nevada have proposed a line running from Las Vegas to Los Angeles with stops in Primm Nevada, Baker California, and points throughout Riverside County into Los Angeles. Unfortunately, Southern California politicians have not been receptive to these proposals, many concerned that a high speed rail line out of state would drive out dollars that would be spent in state "on a rail" to Nevada. [edit] Baltimore - Washington, D.C. A 64 km project linking Camden Yards in Baltimore and Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport to Union Station in Washington, D.C. It is in demand for the area due to its current traffic/congestion problems. The project is in contention for the same federal grant as the Pittsburgh project. [edit] Honolulu The city of Honolulu, Hawaii is said to be planning a Linimo class urban Maglev for its main mass transit train. [edit] San Diego San Diego is considering a high-speed maglev line to serve as a passenger transportation node to remote airport sites under consideration. The cost estimate is approximately $10 billion U.S. for the 80-100 mile run, not including the cost of construction of the airport. [3] [edit] Pittsburgh A 75 km project linking Pittsburgh International Airport to downtown Pittsburgh to Monroeville, PA and ending in Greensburg, PA. The Pittsburgh route is favored by some on the basis that it would test the durability and endurance of the maglev technology over more hilly terrain and more variable winter weather conditions. The project is in contention for the same federal grant as the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. project. [edit] Berlin - Hamburg A 292 km Transrapid line linking Berlin to Hamburg. It has been deleted due to lack of funds. Instead the existing railway line has been upgraded to 230 km/h for ICE train sets. [edit] Vactrain see also Swissmetro More exotic proposals include maglev lines through vacuum-filled tunnels (see Vactrain), where the absence of air resistance would allow extremely high speeds, up to 6000-8000 km/h (4000-5000 mph) according to some sources. Theoretically, these tunnels could be built deep enough to pass under oceans or to use gravity to assist the trains' acceleration. This would likely be prohibitively costly without major advances in tunnelling technology. Alternatives such as elevated concrete tubes with partial vacuums have been proposed to reduce these costs. If the trains topped out at around 8000 km/h (5000 mph), the trip between London and New York would take a breathtakingly short 54 minutes, effectively supplanting aircraft as the world's fastest mode of public transportation. [edit] UniModal UniModal is a proposed personal rapid transit system using Inductrack suspension to achieve average commute speeds of 160 km/h (100 mph) in the city. [edit] Maglev in Culture In the 2005 film The Island, the main character Lincoln Six-Echo, played by Ewan McGregor, rides a Maglev Train. [edit] References * Heller, Arnie, "A New Approach for Magnetically Levitating Trains--and Rockets", Science & Technology Review, June 1998. * Hood, Christopher P. (2006). Shinkansen – From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan, Routledge. ISBN 0415320526.