Maglev Train

Posted by: rodwsmith on 10 June 2013

I'm reasonably sure when I was growing up that the idea of a magnetically levitating/propelled train was of the Buck Rogers-y hypothetically-possible-wouldn't-it-be-nice type idea.

Can't say I thought about it deeply much since. Until yesterday, when I found they really exist, and - by virtue of levitating - can go fairly sharpish:

From Shanghai centre to the airport (20km) in 7 minutes. Takes about an hour in a taxi.

It's not a straight line, either, so it tilts at some fairly disconcerting angles, and being on the ground at that speed is quite a thing.

Welcome to the future!

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by JamieWednesday

Pah old hat. Shameless copyists. We had them years ago. Clearly the powers that be made otherwise important strategic decisions about the future of railways being dependent on running fewer, slower, smaller, more crowded rolling stock...

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by BigH47

Another British invention that went abroad due to non-funding over here.

I remember a Tomorrows World type demo cutting a cabbage in half with a metal sheet propelled a great speed over a short section of mag-lev track.

DLR and Gatwick Shuttles use the moving magnetic effect without the magnetic levitation IMSC.

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by Jasonf

Don't think MagLev was a British invention....however this one is...the futures here....the holy grail of space flight.

http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/

Jason.

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by BigH47

Some early patents for Linear motors and mag-lev vehicles, but the first full size linear motor was Eric Laithwaite in the '40s.

WIKI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by Jasonf

Originally Posted by BigH47:

Some early patents for Linear motors and mag-lev vehicles, but the first full size linear motor was Eric Laithwaite in the '40s.

WIKI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maglev

Yeah, agreed BigH.

I guess its how you define 'invented'.

But if we go by that definition, then the Jet Engine was invented by a Norwegian man called Ægidius Elling in 1903 with the first working model sitting on his work bench in Oslo....however it was based on John Barbers patent in 1791. The Russians had the first flying prototype jet planes and the Germans had the first jet plane to enter service etc, etc,

Lots of grey areas.

Whats not in dispute is Reaction Engines patented rocket engine that can be a rocket in two modes, breathing air and conventional liquid fuel (oxygen) to be a single stage space vehicle.

Check it out, very inspiring engineering from ex Rolls Royce employees.

Jason.

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by Adam Meredith

Originally Posted by BigH47:

Another British invention that went abroad due to non-funding over here.

I remember a Tomorrows World type demo cutting a cabbage in half with a metal sheet propelled a great speed over a short section of mag-lev track.

Coleslaw - another British invention ..........

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by JamieWednesday

Who was Cole and what was his law..?

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by rodwsmith

Fascinating, I had no idea of the history. There's a small museum in the Shanghai station, but unfortunately I needed to get to the airport, so didn't have time. Wish I had now.

Actually 30km, still 7 minutes. And 50yuan, or about a fiver. Great experience.

Expensive to build, cheap to run, and efficient as far as I can make out.

"Maglev" was always going to be more of a winner of a name than the undeniably British "Tracked Hovercraft" though, wasn't it?

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by ChrisH

We had a Maglev running from Birmingham International train station to Birmingham airport, I think during the '80's

It was great for a few years until the French company that made it went bump.

Then no spare parts when it broke down meant it was a dead duck.

Shame, it was ace being in Tomorrow's World before everyone else!

Posted on: 10 June 2013 by JamieWednesday

Sounds like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZjzsnPhnw