Maglev, or magnetic levitation, is a system of transportation that suspends, guides and propels vehicles, predominantly trains, using magnetic levitation from a very large number of magnets for lift and propulsion. This method has the potential to be faster, quieter and smoother than wheeled mass transit systems. The power needed for levitation is usually not a particularly large percentage of the overall consumption; most of the power used is needed to overcome air drag, as with any other high speed train.
The highest recorded speed of a Maglev train is 581 kilometres per hour (361 mph), achieved in Japan in 2003, 6 kilometres per hour (3.7 mph) faster than the conventional TGV speed record.
The first commercial Maglev "people-mover" was officially opened in 1984 in Birmingham, England. It operated on an elevated 600-metre (2,000 ft) section of monorail track between Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station, running at speeds up to 42 km/h (26 mph); the system was eventually closed in 1995 due to reliability and design problems.
Perhaps the most well known implementation of high-speed maglev technology currently operating commercially is the IOS (initial operating segment) demonstration line of the German-built Transrapid train in Shanghai, China that transports people 30 km (18.6 miles) to the airport in just 7 minutes 20 seconds, achieving a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph), averaging 250 km/h (160 mph).
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Nate Berg
hu, 18 Jun 2009 12:00:00 GM
California's high speed rail project connecting Northern and Southern California, the long-simmering idea to build a . magnetic levitation train. between Southern California and Las Vegas, and plans to expand regional rail have made these ...
Q. explain me how magnetic levitation works and also tell me how does the train float can you give me the parameters it depends on please
Asked by astro_crabnebulae - Tue Jul 18 12:45:13 2006 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments
A. the magnetic repulsion force must be equal to the force due to gravity at a set distance F = (Constant)(M1)(M2)/distan ce^2
Answered by Phi D - Tue Jul 18 12:47:40 2006
