Maglev: Science experiment or the future of transport?
 

Given that the Chinese decided not to go with the technology for their national HSR network, and in fact have left the Shanghai Maglev as an expensive white elephant of middling usefulness, I'd say that maglev is very unlikely to be the future of transport.

Definitely worth 10 minutes of time

What is needed is magnetic levitation where the trains can slide on a magnetic platform and be able to pass each other.

you could have one track in the middle of the two tracks for passing and gps would know if its safe to pass. the trains couldnt be real long though because that would be pretty unsafe. if there was something on the tracks you could go around it.

Better to not have tracks and have the trains skate on a wide magnetic platform, once that sort of thing is invented. Being more like a road you could run multiple services long and short range on the same route.

ya thats true

Can you have a track in the middle of these two tracks for passing and gps would know if its safe to pass.

the trains couldnt be real long though because that would be pretty unsafe. if there was something on the tracks you could go around it. Here I found more info about magnetism

Furthermore, I have read many news related to maglev and other principles at toptenscience

Toronto Zoo ‘maglev’ train floats closer to reality as board approves proposal

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...-proposal.html




https://images.thestar.com/8zonbt8Rx.../zoo_train.jpg

The Northeast Maglev, currently building as the Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail, would be the fastest train. This incredible project is based on the already developed technology existing in Japan as the SCMaglev, the hyperloop killer, and a proven, superior solution to our transportation woes. American Rail Club's Demetrius Villa interviews NEM's project director David Henley to discuss the planning, timeline, and reality behind America's most ambitious infrastructure project in history. New York City to Washington DC in 60 minutes



• Video Link

why not? that works for air hockey so we know it works!

http://www.retroland.com/wp-content/...Air-Hockey.jpg

China unveils 600km/h maglev train prototype

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/c...ype/index.html




https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-prototype.jpg




https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-prototype.jpg




https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-prototype.jpg

Supersonic trains to be developed by Geely Holding and CASIC

https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/...holding-casic/




https://d1p2xdir0176pq.cloudfront.ne...ads/supers.jpg




https://d1p2xdir0176pq.cloudfront.ne...supersonic.jpg

China laying tracks for 1,000km/h maglev trains

https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/10/ar...maglev-trains/




https://static.asiatimes.com/uploads...PM-900x540.png

results of the maglev survey
 

Ladies, Gents,

The results of the survey to which we invited you are now available.

The results have been published on the international science platform Researchgate.net and are available to you free of charge.

Here is the link to the platform, where you can then download the publication as a PDF file:

https://www.researchgate.net/publica...eel-Wheel-Rail

The study is scientific and was developed with the intensive cooperation of students, doctoral students and many experts. The results paint a clear picture on the subject of Maglev.

We would like to emphasize once again that this is a scientific and uncensored study financed by the International Maglev Board. The International Maglev Board is a globally oriented non-profit organization, very similar to this Skyscraper City Forum.

We look forward to hearing your opinion on the study. We also like to read critical or negative comments, as this can support a meaningful further development of the survey.

Best regards, jok

https://www.maglevboard.net/en/press/publications

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This promo video of Transrapid is cool but also makes me sad because well you know.• Video Link

Obviously maglev has proven it's technological viability but that is hardly the issue.

The issue is not, does "does it work?" but rather is it worth the money. It's called value for the dollar and is the untold billions that it would take to build it worth sacrificing all that money on one project as opposed to building a whole slew of projects that would carry many more passengers and many more destinations.

China has always been big on vanity projects but due to just printing money and controlling it's currency and banking system, this has allowed China to build many dubious infrastructure projects and especially housing developments.

It's not even a matter of cost. It's a matter of values. Do people value rail transit here? No. Why? Because almost every living soul alive in 2020 grew up in the automobile age. Only a few cherished old-timers still pine for the days of rail. I don't joke about this. My 97 year old grandma is a huge rail fan and advocate. She grew up traveling between the family farm in Alberta and her families old home in Parry Sound, Ontario traveling by rail. She also loves the LRT and was one of the first commuters to use it when she worked at the flagship Bay on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton.

Europeans, Chinese and Japanese and now Russians, Koreans, Turks, etc know and value their HSR programs. I seriously doubt a single nation has never regretted it once it was built even if it went horribly over budget. Why? Because it's a useful piece of infrastructure.

As for value for dollar? I agree. Conventional HSR is much better at that now because it's been widely adopted and mass produced. Transrapid has only been built in smaller test sites including Shanghai. Want it to be a worldwide tech? We need to sign onto a global system that would call for tens of thousands of miles of globally linked track that would cost a fraction per mile due to economies of scale. Will it happen? Probably not. Should it happen. You bet your sweet bippy whatever the hell that is... ;-)

I appreciate that the US may not really value it's rail system but it does come down to value for the money. Is it better to spend $100 billion on a 1000 km of track that can go 500km/hr or use that same money to build 3000 km of 250km/hr track? Is that money on the maglev that may carry 20,000 passenger a day in just one corridor not better spent on urban transit that would serve many different corridors in many different cities and carry millions of passengers a day?

There is also a question of equity. These expensive to build maglevs would also come with the expensive fare prices hence subsidizing tourists and business people who don't need any government help as opposed to spending the same amount on urban transit that will help the people that need it most...……..the poor, working class, seniors, disabled, and all people who rely on transit for their lives and livelihoods.