T
Tom Sherman
Guest
John Riley wrote:
>
> I don't think it would have to be maglev. Just ordinary trains that went faster than cars might do
> it. I think they already have car hauling trains on the East coast so snowbirds can have their
> cars in Florida without having to drive them.
>
> Florida is working on high speed passenger trains, but Florida doesn't have enough density anywere
> for this to work in a conventional sense, as far as I can see. You would either need to take cars
> on the train, or have rentals readily available at every station. The second option might work.
> That is pretty much what happens when you fly anywhere in Florida now.
>
> The train/bike combination would be only for the brave in Florida. It is one of the least safe
> places to bike in the country.
>
The maglev system has the advantage that the tracks and each individual car form the propulsion
system, so there is no need for a locomotive. This would mean that maglev cars could be sized to
carry individual motor vehicles (or a group of HPVer's), allowing much greater flexibility than
conventional rail would.
Maglev cars accelerate much faster than conventional high-speed passenger trains, so the average
speeds are much greater, especially over shorter distances. [1] In addition, conventional high-speed
rail systems are limited to about 1 degree of curvature or less in the tracks, which makes obtaining
right-of-way for the lines a hugely expensive proposition. Maglev cars should be able to handle up
to 3 degrees of curvature in the tracks at full speed. Since Interstate Highways are designed with a
minimum radius of curvature of 3 degrees, maglev tracks could be constructed in the medians of
existing interstates.
[1] This phenomenon should be very familiar to cyclists.
Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) Various HPV's
>
> I don't think it would have to be maglev. Just ordinary trains that went faster than cars might do
> it. I think they already have car hauling trains on the East coast so snowbirds can have their
> cars in Florida without having to drive them.
>
> Florida is working on high speed passenger trains, but Florida doesn't have enough density anywere
> for this to work in a conventional sense, as far as I can see. You would either need to take cars
> on the train, or have rentals readily available at every station. The second option might work.
> That is pretty much what happens when you fly anywhere in Florida now.
>
> The train/bike combination would be only for the brave in Florida. It is one of the least safe
> places to bike in the country.
>
The maglev system has the advantage that the tracks and each individual car form the propulsion
system, so there is no need for a locomotive. This would mean that maglev cars could be sized to
carry individual motor vehicles (or a group of HPVer's), allowing much greater flexibility than
conventional rail would.
Maglev cars accelerate much faster than conventional high-speed passenger trains, so the average
speeds are much greater, especially over shorter distances. [1] In addition, conventional high-speed
rail systems are limited to about 1 degree of curvature or less in the tracks, which makes obtaining
right-of-way for the lines a hugely expensive proposition. Maglev cars should be able to handle up
to 3 degrees of curvature in the tracks at full speed. Since Interstate Highways are designed with a
minimum radius of curvature of 3 degrees, maglev tracks could be constructed in the medians of
existing interstates.
[1] This phenomenon should be very familiar to cyclists.
Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side) Various HPV's
