Posted on 11/19/2009 11:26:17 AM PST by Willie Green
Cheap speed in all weather, Fazio says; build 'em here, too
A well-known Long Island business advocate pitched the benefits of superconducting magnetic-levitation trains for the local economy to Suffolk lawmakers Friday.
Maglev trains, as they are known, hover above magnetized tracks along which they are propelled at speeds of up to 300 miles per hour. The latest maglev technology can accelerate a train from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 11 seconds, and stop it faster than conventional trains through instant reversal of the magnetic pulses pushing the vehicle, according to Long Island Metro Business Action President Ernie Fazio, now also a spokesman for the private concern Maglev 2000. Fazio promoted the company's transportation system before the Suffolk Legislature's Economic Development, Higher Education and Energy Committee at the invitation of its chairman, Legislator Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon).
The concept, developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1966 by Long Island scientists Gordon Danby of Wading River and James Powell of Shoreham, has been extensively employed in Asia, Fazio said. Maglev 2000 is Danby and Powell's firm.
In a partnership with the Town of Riverhead, Maglev 2000 is pursuing $59 million in federal stimulus funding to demonstrate the technology on three miles of unused Grumman track in Calverton in order to certify it for commercial use, he said. Second generation maglev technology suspends trains four to six and a half inches over the track, making the system "impervious to ice and snow," according to Fazio.
If implemented nationwide, maglev trains could render obsolete long-distance truck delivery, and even compete with airlines, conveying passengers and freight from East to West coasts in a single day, Fazio told lawmakers. Transportation costs are also potentially lower, with Maglev 2000 projecting a freight expense of $.07 per ton mile versus $.27 per ton mile via truck, he said.
In addition to new routes across the state and country, conventional rail on Long Island could be adapted to high-speed maglev relatively easily by outfitting existing trains with magnetic pads, according to the spokesman. Further, as the site of the technology's invention and testing, Fazio would also like to see Long Island become its manufacturing center.
Fazio's pitch was less of a request for funding than a glimpse of what may come, as he said Maglev 2000 plans to fully fund its transportation systems privately. Unlike conventional rail in the U.S., most of which is public or relies on government funding to survive, the high-speed freight service would make freestanding maglev enterprises economically viable, Fazio maintained. "This can operate without subsidy because its profitability in freight is so great," he said.
However, he is seeking government support to attract the potential maglev manufacturing firms to locate on the Island. "I don't want Long Island to miss out on the opportunity to build this," Fazio said. "I just think it's tens of thousands of jobs."
While impressed with maglev's potential, county lawmakers questioned its applicability for Long Island rail transportation. Citing the technology's emphasis on high speeds, Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher (D-Port Jefferson) asked, "Would this be practical for a place like Long Island where we have so many stops?" Maglev trains would not have to travel at maximum speeds in order to improve upon the Long Island Railroad commute, Fazio responded, highlighting among other benefits the new technology's resistance to bad-weather delays and related expenses.
Good idea if we had plenty of electricity from, say, nuclear power plants, but Barry don’t want em...
Couldn’t Maglev trains transport millions more passengers at less cost in fuel than air transport? Especially in the short commuter hops used by Congress and CEOs. Maybe even curb the outrageously expensive *need* for chartered jets preferred by the aristocracy that passes for government of the people, by the people.
Would like to see some cost analysis/comparisons for the NY—DC corridor.
The existing LIRR is not a private corporation so it is hard to tell if it is profitable.
It certainly gets a lot of passengers, mostly those who commute into New York City.
It might make sense if it links the following:
Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport to existing LIRR stations.
A line that went from Islip Airport to the LIRR/NYC Subway lines
A line that goes to the potential Lighthouse project (Nassau Coliseum) and Hofstra (which is basically next door), as well as lines that go to the other major colleges in the Nassau/Suffolk area.
A line that goes to the beaches (Jones Beach, Lido and Robert Moses State Park)
Potential links to Eisenhower Park and Bethpage State Park
For those of us that grew up on Long Island I can testify that traffic is horrible much of the time and there is no ability to increase the width of most of the highways. If we can get around to these major places without driving it would be a worthwhile investment.
It certainly beats the Bridge to Nowhere!
Also, I would assume these lines could be placed above the existing highways, which is the best way to place them on LI.
I know that this is going to be expensive, but there are very few options on LI to reduce traffic issues that have existed for many years. If the idea catches on then the logical hub would be the Lighthouse project location.
WTF? There's 1 - count them, ONE - real, commercial, high speed Maglev line in the WORLD, and it's in Shanghai. From the Pudong Airport to a subway terminal outside of Shanghai. It's about 30 km long... And it's too expensive - even for the Chinese - to extend to Hangzhou or into downtown Shanghai (but it really should go to the Shanghai South Railway Station, the Hongqiao Airport, the Shanghai Railway Station, then back to Pudong, but I digress).
Other than that, there aren't ANY high speed Maglev trains ANYWHERE. How ONE translates to "extensively employed" is beyond me. Oh wait, that was a Government official who stated it... That makes sense...
Hey, when you're looking to piss away 50 or 60 million, what's a few "stretchers" between friends ?
Another pubic transit boondoggle. Another way to vacuum your pockets, as if they didn't have enough already !
Other than that, there aren't ANY high speed Maglev trains ANYWHERE.
You're forgetting about Japan.
Maglev 2000 claims that the system developed and built by Japan Railways, is based on the original maglev inventions of Drs. Powell and Danby.
However, it doesn't appear that Maglev 2000 is building upon Japan Railways' experience, and is instead starting from scratch, using the latest theories dreamed up by Powell and Danby.
I really don't know how much of a chance Maglev 2000 has to compete.
Even American Maglev built a low-budget, low-speed Maglev test project at Old Dominion University (which went dormant for a while when shoestring funding went dry, but is now associated with Magnemotion)
But near as I can figure, Powell and Danby have never even built a test loop anywhere (maybe I'm wrong), so I don't see how they expect to compete with more mature technology like Transrapid or Japan Railways.
Well, the 9 km long Maglev in Japan does a whopping 100 kph; about 62 MPH. I don’t quite call that high-speed...;)
Well, the 9 km long Maglev in Japan does a whopping 100 kph; about 62 MPH. I don’t quite call that high-speed...;)
Your information is incorrect.
JR-Maglev currently holds the world speed record for maglev at 581 km/h (361 mph).
Great - where can I buy a ticket to ride? Oh, that’s a test sled? Never mind...
Can you point to ONE high-speed, commercial maglev in existence other than the Shanghai train? You know, something that’ll break 160 kph and actually carries passengers?
Can you point to ONE high-speed, commercial maglev in existence other than the Shanghai train? You know, something that’ll break 160 kph and actually carries passengers?
Of course not.
As you well know, the Shanghai Maglev is the first successful commercial deployment.
Now that the concept is proven, new projects are being proposed worldwide to see who's going to be next.
I predict we’ll see somewhere less than 1 other deployment in the world. The cost is VERY high to build these, and with the TGV (which has doen 574 kph on regularly used rail lines, not a test line), Shinkansen, and even the new high speed rail line going in between Shanghai and Beijing, a Maglev offers very little advantage.
It is one heck of a smooth and quiet ride, though! I’ve used it a few times when I return to Shanghai, definitely something unique...
and with the TGV (which has doen 574 kph on regularly used rail lines, not a test line), Shinkansen, and even the new high speed rail line going in between Shanghai and Beijing, a Maglev offers very little advantage.
It is one heck of a smooth and quiet ride, though!
Actually, Maglev enjoys significantly lower operating costs than TGV and other high-speed steel-wheel-on-rail technologies. Maglev does not suffer the high mechanical maintenance costs necessary for the wheels and suspension systems!
And since Maglev doesn't have mechanical wheels and suspension systems that wear out and break down, the Maglev vehicles also become more lightweight and energy efficient!!!!
Oh, and not only do the Maglev vehicles cost less to operate and maintain, the Maglev track also requires less maintenance than high-speed rail tracks.
All I know is that there was a strong push by the Shanghai Government to extend the maglev, but ultimately Beijing decided it was cheaper to do the high speed TGV-style trains. The deployment cost of maglev track is huge, and would take decades to overcome...
Cut the operating costs by a factor of 10, but if the deployment costs are 10 times higher, you’re better off doing the higher-operating-costs because of the time-value of money.
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