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Technical Maturity and Cost:
The cost of the elevated narrow beam guideway system has
been estimated at $10-$12 million per mile for a double track
built on a single pier system. This cost is for the guideway
and components only built on flat, stable ground and does not
include civil works, right of way or unusual topographical conditions.
Planar guideway sections at grade are even less expensive. These
costs are about one-quarter to one-third of the guideway costs
for foreign maglev systems and are somewhat less than conventional
rail infrastructure in those places where the two can be meaningfully
compared. The low unit cost of the Maglev 2000 system makes it
uniquely attractive for high-speed, long distance transportation
in North America. With appropriate technological adaptations
oriented toward lower speed urban/suburban applications, the
MAGLEV 2000 system can also provide low cost transit services
in that operating environment as well. In fact, MAGLEV 2000 vehicles
can be operated on both high-speed and urban routes.
THE DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM:
A jointly funded program involving state and federal agencies
and private companies is being conducted at the company's Maglev
Operations Center (MOC) near Cape Canaveral, Florida. This program
has been underway for several years and the first phase will
be completed in early 20003. Currently, system components are
being manufactured, fabricated and assembled at the MOC. These
include a 50' vehicle shell and chassis; guideway coil panels
that contain the levitation, propulsion and stability coils;
superconducting magnets that will be attached to the vehicle
chassis; cryogen systems to cool the magnets; and various operating
control, monitoring, and measurement mechanisms. In early 2003
the basic levitation, stability and propulsion systems will be
demonstrated using the vehicle chassis only inside the MOC on
a section of planar guideway. At the conclusion of these tests
and demonstrations, the MAGLEV 2000 system components can be
produced and the full vehicle assembled for final demonstration
on the outside test guideway.
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