Operation and Application Paper

Maglev
Paper:
Operation and
Application
Carson Brown
Period 5
A maglev train is a viable alternative to airplanes. There is no friction present since the
trains are floating, which, when paired with an aerodynamic design, allows it to reach speeds of
over 310 mph, which is 2 times faster than the fastest commuter train. This speed is only about
250 mph less than commercial airlines, making maglev trains a potential method of connecting
distant cities. They are also able to consume much less power, making them a much more
environmentally friendly and sustainable form of transportation, but they are much costlier. At
this point, they are much more of a concept, as political roadblocks and cost are severe deterrents
to widespread adoption. Also, the improvement gain is not necessarily sufficient to justify the
massive extra cost, and they tend to take up much more space. However, they do have fewer
moving parts, which allows for much less required maintenance.
It works by having magnetized coils along a guideway repel magnets on the bottom of a
train. This repulsion causes the train to levitate 1 to 10 centimeters above the track. Once in
levitation, the coils inside the guideway walls begin to receive power, creating a magnetic field
system capable of pushing the train back and forth. Because the electric current continuously
alters the polarity of the coils by alternating, the magnetic field in front of the train pulls it
forward and the one behind the train pushes it forward. German engineers have developed an
EMS, or electromagnetic suspension, system named Transrapid. It is unique in that the train's
bottom has electromagnets directed toward the steel guideway it is wrapped around. This allows
the train to levitate 1 centimeter above the guideway, even when it is not in motion. It has
alternate magnets within it that provide guidance and stability. Their train has been able to reach
300 mph with passengers. It has an emergency battery in case of power failure. Japanese
engineers are in the process of making an alternate system, EDS. It stands for electrodynamic
suspension, and it differs in that it utilizes the repulsion of super-cooled, superconducting
magnets that can continue to conduct electricity even with the power supply off. This system is
also energy saving because cryogenics cool the coils, but it also makes it more expensive. These
trains levitate 10x higher above the guideway than the German trains, but they have to roll on
rubber tires until achieving a 62-mph liftoff speed. This serves as a failsafe if the system were to
shut down. The spare parts that are required are very difficult to find, which is why they arent
considered very viable. They have been considered possible for as long as the existence of trains
and magnets, but these various issues are what have made them scarce.
Germany and Japan are currently in the process of developing and testing maglev trains.
Transrapid International, a German company, has an active commercial train. Shanghai, China is
the home of the first commercial Maglev train, and serves as a connector from Pudong
International Airport to Longyang Road. It has a nearly perfect punctuality rate and remarkably
short 7-minute travel time, making it excellent at fulfilling its purpose of simplifying travel
within and out of the city. The success of this train inspired similar ones in Aichi, Japan and
Daejeon, South Korea. The Japanese line was legitimately designed to transport people, and thus
has 6 stops. It serves to address the clustered population problem by providing fast, efficient
transportation, decreasing traffic in other transportation modes. The Korean line, on the other
hand, was built exclusively for an International Expo, which is why it is very short. It was more
of a proof of concept, and is not actually in serious use. Japan is also home of the fastest maglev
train, the MLX01, which is capable of 344 mph. Maglev trains have been implemented in many
places, including Japans test track in the 1960s and Britains airport track. However, their
viability was questioned, which is why Britain replaced theirs with a bus system. There has also
been a test track in the United States, but interest in the US has waned drastically, which is why
Germany is the only country with concrete plans for an actual commercial system, and will be
the primary testing grounds. America does have a company called AMT that has a full-scale
maglev train, but it is mostly in testing for the core components of maglev trains and isnt
actually a viable transportation method. However, it is appealing to the United States because of
its electric, efficient, and non-polluting nature, which is why it could be implemented in the
future.
Works Cited
Anissimov, Michael, and Niki Foster. What Are Maglev Trains? WiseGEEK, Conjecture
Corporation, 16 Sept. 2017, www.wisegeek.com/what-are-maglev-trains.htm.
Bonsor, Kevin. How Maglev Trains Work. HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 13 Oct.
2000, science.howstuffworks.com/transport/engines-equipment/maglev-train1.htm.
Maglev Transportation. AMT, Inc., american-maglev.com/maglev/.
Where Are Maglev Trains Located? Reference, IAC Publishing,
www.reference.com/geography/maglev-trains-located-c5849684c0831663#.

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Maglev

moving parts, which allows for much less required maintenance.

Corporation, 16 Sept. 2017, www.wisegeek.com/what-are-maglev-trains.htm.

Maglev Transportation. AMT, Inc., american-maglev.com/maglev/.

Where Are Maglev Trains Located? Reference, IAC Publishing,

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