> As I recall, the Japanese system uses repulsive levitation,
> as opposed to the German system that used attractive levitation.


I do not recall that difference. But in any event, it doesn't matter much, as in either case, the magnetic lift is actually produced as a result of forward motion by the vehicle against a magnetic field ; not by direct lifting. Below a certain speed, it is riding on wheels - a landing gear of sorts.

The problem that is appearing so un-surmountable (maglev test tracks have been around for decades), is that commercial practicality has remained illusive. This is in part due to its complete incompatibility with all other parts of the worldwide transportation system. Especially so when well established and equally capable alternatives are world-wide compatible and directly inter-connectable.

Consequently, capital costs for a completely separate inter-city system far exceeds the resources available, anywhere in the world. Even more damning is that there are no lower operating costs to help compensate for the higher capital costs.

Even though it is only about 1/16th the amount needed on the highway; with steel wheel on steel rail, energy must be still be consumed to overcome friction. Whereas the attraction of maglev in the first place, was to not have to expend energy to overcome that friction. But alas, in natural physics, there is no free lunch (unlike recent politics).

Since the lift of magnetic levitation comes from a forward motion working against opposing magnetic fields, to propel the vehicle forward requires not only a sufficient amount of energy to accelerate the mass of the vehicle, but also requires an amount sufficient to also overcome that magnetic field and thus produce lift; in effect, not much different that any aircraft against wind drag. Unfortunately, the amount of additional energy required to produce lift, somewhat exceeds that required to overcome rail to wheel friction in the first place.

Net result - lots of extra costs (forever). It simply takes a bit more energy to levitate than it takes to just put up with the friction. Further, since levitating trackway and on-board hardware is far more complex than it is on conventional high speed rail, it is far more costly to construct and to maintain - at any speed.

Magnetic levitation also received a serious setback couple of years ago, when due to some sort of harmonic oscillation in the magnetic forces, a set of German test vehicles operating together was levitated right off the track, destroying the vehicles and a couple of thousand feet of elevated trackway. If I recall correctly, several test workers also were killed. I have heard nothing of the German effort since, so I do not know it they have repaired the damage and re-started the test program; or what. Not only that, but the only commercially operating maglev in the world, which is only a short haul to the airport (in China), had to permanently scale its speeds back due to similar problems.


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As to the web spell checker, mine crapped out too - for a while. I use Firefox and it worked fine for years; then crapped out for about 6 months. It is now working, just as mysteriously. The really odd thing was that it worked on most every website I visited, but not on Altamont for those 6 months. It is working now.

Maybe something Firefox did on some update or other, in conjunction with the way Altamont is programed and some quirky registry settings, simply broke it. Then a later Firefox update fixed it again - who knows. Maybe updating your browser to the very latest will help. But then again, it might break it!

OPB