[RightWhale]

eliminate the mechanical drive train altogether

You'll need wheels and wheel bearings. Even the diesel-electric locomotive has wheels.

[edsheppa]

All right, all right, I was speaking too loosely. I meant that the electric motors would be directly connected to the axles as in a diesel electric locomotive. In an auto I guess you'd have one motor per wheel. Yet another plus, true 4wd.

But it is an intruiging thought. Don't maglev trains have truly pure EM drive trains at speed?