The Next Step: Maglev?
Maglev Description
Our economy is dependent on the high-speed transportation of people and cargo. Therefore, any new transportation solution must integrate and connect with existing air travel, lower speed ground systems, and the movement of goods through the creation of multimodal transportation centers. Currently, airplanes are our only source of high-speed travel. As we learned from the events of 9-11, a more diversified high-speed U.S. transportation system is required if we are to maintain economic stability and decrease our exclusive reliance upon air travel and fossil fuels.
Maglev is the term used to describe magnetic levitation, guidance, and propulsion technology. Maglev allows travelers to ride frictionlessly on a cushion of air, along an elevated guideway at speeds of up to 310 miles per hour. In most maglev configurations magnets fitted to the vehicle react with electro-magnets attached to the underside and sides of the guideway, to lift and guide the vehicle. The train is propelled electro-magnetically using electrical conductors mounted in the guideway itself. The train and the guideway each make up one half of an electric linear motor.
The first commercially operated maglev system opened for revenue service in Shanghai China, in late 2003, running 40 kilometers between the Pudong Airport and the city center. A second maglev system went into commercial operation in Nagoya Japan. Korea is under construction with it’s first maglev system as an airport connector. Several high-speed maglev projects are currently under development worldwide, including expansion of the Shanghai China Maglev, Southern California, Baltimore-Washington, Pennsylvania, Las Vegas, Tokyo to Osaka Japan and Dusseldorf-Dortman and Munich systems in Germany. Great Britian and Bahrain are currently studying maglev for use in those countries.
Social and environmental Benefits of Maglev
Air Quality
- No air pollutants from operation
- Reduction in air pollutants by reduced air, auto and train traffic
Traffic
- Reduces auto and air traffic
Noise and Vibration
- Maglev is the quietest ground transportation available today
- Noise level 50 feet from guideway Imperceptible
Ecology
- Guideway co-located in existing transportation corridors require minimum of land
- Guideway minimizes disturbance to existing land, water and wildlife
- Flexible alignment allows guideway to adapt to landscape- no limit on elevation change
- Maglev magnetic field strength is comparable to earth’s magnetic field
- Energy -30% -50% less energy than conventional high speed rail
- Greatest energy savings by reduction in other vehicle miles traveled
- reduced burning of fossil fuels.
Visual and Natural Resources
- Minimal impact of operation within existing freeway right of way
Drawback of Current Systems
- High Costs: $50 to $200 Mil. per mile