maglev, also called magnetic levitation train or maglev train, a floating vehicle for land transportation that is supported by either electromagnetic attraction or repulsion.
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Maglev systems have been much more expensive to construct than conventional train systems, although the simpler construction of maglev vehicles makes them cheaper to manufacture and maintain.
Cost concerns over innovative railThe primary challenge facing maglev trains has always been cost. While all large-scale transportation systems are expensive, maglev requires a dedicated infrastructure including substations and power supplies and cannot be integrated directly into an existing transportation system.
On 22 September 2006, a Transrapid magnetic levitation (or maglev) train collided with a maintenance vehicle near Lathen, Germany, killing 23 people. It was the first fatal accident involving a maglev train.
Despite over a century of research and development, there are only six operational maglev trains today — three in China, two in South Korea, and one in Japan.
Maintaining correct distance between train and guideway is not a concern (Lee, 2006). The drawbacks are that sufficient speed needs to be built up in order for the train to levitate at all. Additionally, this system is much more complex and costly to implement.
The magnetic field generated by the Superconducting Maglev has no impact on health, as it is controlled with various measures to keep it below the standards established in international guidelines (ICNIRP Guidelines). The standards are set at approx. 1/5 to 1/10 the level that could affect the human body.
Scientists have discovered a way of levitating ultra small objects by manipulating the Casimir force, which normally causes objects to stick together due to forces predicted by quantum field theory. This is, however, only possible for micro-objects.
#1 Sri Lanka Tsunami Train WreckThe train, dubbed the Queen of the Sea, was destroyed by the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004, in what is now considered the world's deadliest rail tragedy. It was a holiday weekend in Sri Lanka due to the full moon and the Christmas holiday weekend.