Here's a couple of questions for you guys out there that might have some opinions about this............... What do you guys think about the growing number of high speed rail lines and the announcement last month of the 45-50 mile maglev train line in Pittsburgh, PA? Do you think that high speed rail lines like the Chunnel system in Europe will replace the traditional rail lines in the US? What kind of effect do you think Maglev lines will have on traditional rail lines? Thanks for your thoughts/opinions/etc
There are plans now in effect to have fully automated freight trains running point to point without a human on board. Proto testing of one has already been done. You will probably see something about it in 2002 after the wraps come off. It was a fun project. Just don't cross the tracks in front of it, it wont stop.
Seems like if they wanted to automate a freight train, they would have to elevate every road crossing, just to prevent the "don't cross the tracks in front of it, it wont stop"... Oh well, more work for me in the future designing over/under passes
It has been all talk and no action so far in regard to "maglev" everywhere but Japan. I am not convinced that "maglev" is practical. We, as a people, can do many things, like go to the Moon and build "maglev" trains, but if there is no economic justification (read the possibility of earning a profit), why should it be done. Look at the Concorde airliner; its faster speed does not justify its vastly greater operating expense and it must be considered a failure. I think "maglev" as currently engineered, is fixed guideway technology's Concorde.
Here's a page I found about the new Maglev system that's due to be completed by 2005 or so... Maglev PA On Jan 17th, 2001 the FRA approved this and one other Maglev line from Baltimore to Washinton, DC... Granted things could change, money/technology/etc, but both projects are under development and will soon start construction... It's becoming more of a reality each day... The first project(s) may turn out to be Concorde-like failures, but as people continue to work on the idea of faster ground transportation, things will get cheaper/better/etc...
