Posted on 08/03/2010 1:45:51 PM PDT by Willie Green
South Korea started to build a rail and other facilities for the country’s first magnetic levitation trains on Yeongjong Island, some 30 kilometers west of Seoul, on Tuesday.
The construction is a major part of the government’s plan to commercialize environment-friendly transport services, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said. The country plans to operate unmanned maglev trains that link Incheon International Airport and Yongyoo Station where travelers can take express trains heading to Seoul.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Incheon International Airport to construct a 6.1 kilometer rail at the nation’s major airfield to test maglev train operation. Other facilities including six stops and one train depot will also be built, officials said.
The low- and medium-speed train can run at a top speed of 110 kilometers per hour, they added.
Maglev trains use a powerful magnetic field to suspend them above rails, causing less noise and vibration than existing trains.
The construction is a part of the government’s 450 billion won ($385 million) project which was launched in 2006 to commercialize an unmanned maglev train service. The construction is scheduled to be completed in 2012.
After its completion, the maglev trains, currently developed by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, will be tested on the rail for one year and put to commercial operation in 2013.
Korea will become the second country to offer urban maglev transport after Japan, the ministry said.
Japan has succeeded in operating low- and medium-speed trains and is currently developing high-speed maglev trains, it added.
Cho-cho Chung indeed.
Exactly where do they plan on traveling to? South Korea is roughly the size of Florida. Its not like Chia Pet is opening a theme park or anything.
Is it Solar Powered?
No. Most of South Korea’s electricity is supplied by coal and nuclear.
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