3 ms·

Yes, the speed is fine but it only exists on one commercial route. Something is holding up mass adoption. Likely the cost. This sort of technology would be si

Yes, the speed is fine but it only exists on one commercial route. Something is holding up mass adoption. Likely the cost. This sort of technology would be significant if widely adopted.

bluGill 2y ago
Not just the cost of building it - though that is significant, but also cost as in the needed energy. Wind Resistance goes up by square of speed and so running high speed at ground level is cost (and environment) prohibitive. There is one other cost - acceleration time - no amount of money could get NYC subways to that speed - the next stop arrives before you get up to speed. It makes more sense to focus our money on slower speed trains that are still fast enough and use much less energy.
- melling 2y ago
  The average speed of the NYC subway is 17mph (27km). Maglevs that went smoothly at 62mph (100km) would be a big improvement. Medium speed maglev trains are also a thing: https://crrczelc-europe.com/medium-low-speed-maglev-changsha/#:~:text=CRRC's%20medium%2Dlow%20speed%20maglev,systems%2C%20signaling%20and%20BEL%20locomotives. https://crrczelc-europe.com/medium-low-speed-maglev-changsha...
  - bluGill 2y ago
    Maglev are less efficent than steel wheels at those speeds. Of course proper maintenance would make the subway smoother and help a lot. france has run regular trains almost to almost 575km/h - though if you really want higher speeds maglev is better but nyc couldn't use those speeds on the subway (though other rail should go faster in the city for service reasons)
    - melling 2y ago
      Yeah, everyone knows you wouldn’t run a nyc subway at 300 mph. Where do you get maglevs ant low speed are less efficient? They are frictionless. Of course, I don’t even care if they are. You know what they’re more efficient than? Cars! Building medium-speed and high-speed maglevs are part of the solution to getting people out of cars. They are building them in China. Let’s see how far they get. China built almost 30,000 miles of HSR before the US finished any. Maybe maglevs will turn out to be one of those things that just doesn’t work in America but works everywhere else.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
    That's not the only one, here is another https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_System_Bögl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_System_Bögl , interestingly they also have an option for containerized freight.

Yes, the speed is fine but it only exists on one commercial route. Something is holding up mass adoption. Likely the cost. This sort of technology would be significant if widely adopted.

bluGill 2y ago

Not just the cost of building it - though that is significant, but also cost as in the needed energy. Wind Resistance goes up by square of speed and so running high speed at ground level is cost (and environment) prohibitive. There is one other cost - acceleration time - no amount of money could get NYC subways to that speed - the next stop arrives before you get up to speed. It makes more sense to focus our money on slower speed trains that are still fast enough and use much less energy.

melling 2y ago
The average speed of the NYC subway is 17mph (27km). Maglevs that went smoothly at 62mph (100km) would be a big improvement. Medium speed maglev trains are also a thing: https://crrczelc-europe.com/medium-low-speed-maglev-changsha/#:~:text=CRRC's%20medium%2Dlow%20speed%20maglev,systems%2C%20signaling%20and%20BEL%20locomotives. https://crrczelc-europe.com/medium-low-speed-maglev-changsha...
- bluGill 2y ago
  Maglev are less efficent than steel wheels at those speeds. Of course proper maintenance would make the subway smoother and help a lot. france has run regular trains almost to almost 575km/h - though if you really want higher speeds maglev is better but nyc couldn't use those speeds on the subway (though other rail should go faster in the city for service reasons)
  - melling 2y ago
    Yeah, everyone knows you wouldn’t run a nyc subway at 300 mph. Where do you get maglevs ant low speed are less efficient? They are frictionless. Of course, I don’t even care if they are. You know what they’re more efficient than? Cars! Building medium-speed and high-speed maglevs are part of the solution to getting people out of cars. They are building them in China. Let’s see how far they get. China built almost 30,000 miles of HSR before the US finished any. Maybe maglevs will turn out to be one of those things that just doesn’t work in America but works everywhere else.
- LargoLasskhyfv 2y ago
  That's not the only one, here is another https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_System_Bögl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_System_Bögl , interestingly they also have an option for containerized freight.