[pure]

Currently Japan and Germany are leading the world with this type of technology: trains that run on magnetics.




It looks very bright for the future when considering the fact that ultimately this world will eliminate the sources of fossil fuel burning. Maglev Trains (short for magnetic levitation) produces zero emmisions. Most interesting of all though is that it can go up to 310mph, a new alternative to conventional airplanes.

The following areas in the US will have the Maglev :
Califonia to Nevada
Baltimore to DC
Pennsylvania

[Variable]

Originally Posted by pure

Currently Japan and Germany are leading the world with this type of technology: trains that run on magnetics.


It looks very bright for the future when considering the fact that ultimately this world will eliminate the sources of fossil fuel burning. Maglev Trains (short for magnetic levitation) produces zero emmisions. Most interesting of all though is that it can go up to 310mph, a new alternative to conventional airplanes.

The following areas in the US will have the Maglev :
Califonia to Nevada
Baltimore to DC
Pennsylvania

It's only zero emissions if the source of electricity is zero emissions like nuclear or hydro. And the capital cost for those things is through the roof.

But yeh, I think they're pretty coo.

[MossadConspiracy]

i want to see an action sequence that takes place on a maglev train and includes a car getting smashed by a speeding maglev and somebody getting run over by one

[pure]

Originally Posted by Variable

It's only zero emissions if the source of electricity is zero emissions like nuclear or hydro. And the capital cost for those things is through the roof.

But yeh, I think they're pretty coo.

True, nuclear plants are our best bet for reducing greenhouse gasses but we shouldn't rely on it too much. Ever heard of solar plants using molten salt? One solar plant gives as much energy as a coal-burning plant, and gives off zero emmisions.

The capital cost is high, but remember when DVD players and LCD TVs first were out? They were extremely pricey, now you can find them very cheap. Eventually prices for these new technologies will go down.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by pure

True, nuclear plants are our best bet for reducing greenhouse gasses but we shouldn't rely on it too much. Ever heard of solar plants using molten salt? One solar plant gives as much energy as a coal-burning plant, and gives off zero emmisions.

Molten salt? I haven't heard of that. It sounds like it'd be a good idea for a sunny place though.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by pure

The capital cost is high, but remember when DVD players and LCD TVs first were out? They were extremely pricey, now you can find them very cheap. Eventually prices for these new technologies will go down.

Prices go down for commodities, and not for transportation-infrastructure projects like the Mag-Lev train.

Incidentally, the mag-levs in Japan have been around for a long time, they were just never adopted here because it doesnt make much sense to do so - the electric trains work just fine.

Why would you want to burn so much energy uselessly just to raise so many tons of metal and people off the rails?

[Variable]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Why would you want to burn so much energy uselessly just to raise so many tons of metal and people off the rails?

I guess the advantage of speed over distances comes into play, maglevs can go a lot faster than wheeled trains. And it doesn't seem to be the operating costs, but the capital costs that are so problematic.

They were talking about putting one between Calgary and Edmonton, but they decided to go with a high speed electric instead, which makes a lot more sense financially.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by Variable

I guess the advantage of speed over distances comes into play, maglevs can go a lot faster than wheeled trains. And it doesn't seem to be the operating costs, but the capital costs that are so problematic.

Can you clarify that please? As far as I'm aware, the TGV trains in France are pretty fast and can match the speed of Mag-Levs.

Regardless of whether capex or opex is higher, it just doesn't make sense to spend the energy to elevate the train because there is no commensurate ROI from what I can see.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Can you clarify that please? As far as I'm aware, the TGV trains in France are pretty fast and can match the speed of Mag-Levs.

Regardless of whether capex or opex is higher, it just doesn't make sense to spend the energy to elevate the train because there is no commensurate ROI from what I can see.

Sorry I don't know what half of that means.

What I'm saying is, I don't think the actual levitation of the train is what is costing more, in fact I've heard (unsubstantiated) that it costs less to move a train that way than it does to move it along in conventional ways. What is always cited as the key factor is the capital cost of infrastructure.

When it comes to their speed, they can go pretty much as fast as you want them to, the limiting factor is air and EM resistance, and much more critically, safety and comfort around turns. It's that last part that is apparently keeping them at the current speeds.

[Bluestar]

They'll get hijacked and be made to sped up and crash, i've seen it in the movies. Every train may not have a hero as cool (cool=hot) as Keanu Reaves/Steven Seagal.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by Bluestar

They'll get hijacked and be made to sped up and crash, i've seen it in the movies. Every train may not have a hero as cool (cool=hot) as Keanu Reaves/Steven Seagal.

bwahahahahahaaha

[Bluestar]

are you doubting the ever lasting hotness of steven seagal?

May the fleas of a thousand camels infect your bottom and may your arms grow too short to scratch it, if you are