Technical Reports

Mobility / Trafficability / Transport

Abstract: The Government Maglev System Assessment Team operated from 1991 to 1993 as part of the National Maglev Initiative. They assessed the technical viability of four U.S. maglev system concepts, using the French TGV high-speed train and the German TR07 maglev system as assessment baselines. Maglev in general offers advantages that include high speed potential, excellent system control, high capacity, low energy consumption, low maintenance, modest land requirements, low operating costs, and ability to meet a variety of transportation missions. Further, the U.S. maglev concepts could provide superior performance to TR07 for similar cost or similar performance for less cost. They also could achieve both lower trip times and lower energy consumption along typical U.S. routes. These advantages result generally from the use of large-gap magnetic suspensions, more powerful linear synchronous motors, and tilting vehicles. Innovative concepts for motors, guideways, suspension, and superconducting magnets all contribute to a potential for superior long-term performance of U.S. maglev systems compared with TGV and TR07.

Preface GMSA Team Members Executive Summary	Preface and... (129 K)
Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Characteristics of specific HSGT concepts	Pages 1–16 (516 K)
Chapter 3. Application of evaluation process	pages 17–58 (839 K) pages 59–100 (2 MB) pages 101–140 (1.12 MB) pages 141–178 (968 K)
Chapter 4. Overall technical viability of concepts References	pages 179–197 (129 K)
Appendices: Appendix A: Ride comfort guidelines Appendix B: Wind specifications for maglev system            concept definitions Appendix C: Assessment of the power electronics for            the locally commutated linear synchronous motor Abstract	Appendices (p. 199–end) (516 K)