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First Maglev Installation Going Up

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the above-ground-above-speed dept.

berniecase writes "After hearing about the 500kph Maglev in Japan on Slashdot, I caught wind of this installation which is going up in Norfolk, Virginia. It's the first Maglev installation in the US. Here's another photo, too."

1 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Only 40mph? by yog · · Score: 3, Informative

    The answers are in the article ;-)

    First of all, it's a prototype. Secondly, it would hardly make sense to install a 200mph train as a university 2/3 mile shuttle.

    According to a linked article at the bottom, the backers of this project consider maglevs cheaper and simpler to build and operate than conventional trains.

    They believe that there is a market for what they called low-speed maglevs in universities, airports, and other places that require short distance people-moving. The Florida facility is working on increasing the speed.

    This seems like sensible engineering; start small and build on one's experience, improving the technology incrementally.

    For a more ambitious project, check out the California Maglev Project.

    --
    it's = "it is"; its = possessive. E.g., it's flapping its wings.