from the January 8, 2005 issue of NewScientist magazine:
For a vehicle that floats on air, the magnetic levitation passenger train has had a pretty bumpy ride in recent years. One-time supporters have turned their backs on it, grants have been cut, and planned lines cancelled. Yet maglev could still come good, and it all depends on what happens in 2005.
The brightest signs of hope are in the east. China has the world’s most ambitious maglev line, a system that zips passengers along 30 kilometers of track between Shanghai’s Pudong airport and the city’s financial district. Electromagnets in the underside of the train repel the steel-plated electromagnetic track, causing the vehicle to float about a centimeter above. By adjusting the strength and polarity of the electromagnets, the train is moved along at speeds up to 430 kilometers per hour. The Shanghai line began a limited service last year, and in 2005, it should become fully operational, day and night.
So far the technology has performed well, apart from the occasional overheated insulator and track subsidence. Despite low passenger numbers and a shortage of train drivers, this year the Chinese government looks set to approve a 170-kilometer extension or the line to the resort of Hangzhou. China is even considering a 1300-kilometer line linking Bejing and Shanghai. With Germany and Taiwan recently canceling maglev lines, such enthusiasm could provide the encouragement that other governments need.
The future or the technology is in the U.S., however, hangs in the balance. None of the country’s half-dozen proposed maglev systems are anywhere near being built. The cost of the track is seen as a key stumbling block. The Shanghai line, for example, topped US$1 billion. If the US Congress fails to allocate further funds in 2005, it could be the end of the line for maglev in America.