The technology applied to the sector railway transport It surprises more and more every day with its latest advances. The projects designed by ingenious companies specialized in land transportation are committed to launching innovative high performance systems that, supported by environmental sustainability, guarantee greater security and greater efficiency in the mobility of passengers and goods. Among these high-tech companies is the Italian IronLevwhose works have already made the first magnetic levitation train in the transalpine country.
Although it seems like a mode of transportation more typical of science fiction, the magnetic levitation train, also known by the acronym maglevby its English expression “magnetic levitation”, is propelled through a magnetic fieldthat is to say, does not require physical contact with any surface so that the vehicle can be moved. As the company points out on its website, “the vehicles float continuously and are always ready to be moved with the touch of a finger.” This innovative feature, they add, “maintains perfect central alignment between the vehicle and the road.”
The first test of the “floating” train
The route took place between the town of Adria and Mestre on March 12, and consisted of travel 2 kilometers at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. After successfully completing the journey, the prototype used, which weighed around 1 ton, was able to demonstrate the possibility of applying magnetic levitation technology on existing railway tracks. For cost purposes, the IronLev project represents the maintenance of conventional railway infrastructure to levitate the innovative train without having to build special rails.
Likewise, the use of magnets instead of wheels allows generating a higher speed and a lower noise by minimizing friction levels and surface contact. Unlike trains developed by China and Japan, which require electricity, the maglev transportation model only requires a magnetic gravitation field that independently supplies the necessary energy for its funtionability. Its numerous advantages mean that the company is already working on the design of a 20-ton vehicle capable of reaching speeds of 200 kilometers per hour.
The revolution in transportation
The tests carried out so far show that the magnetic train could be launched perfectly on any railway track. According to statements made by the president of IronLev, Adriano Girotto: “we have shown that our prototype can be applied on a large scalerevolutionizing the railway transport sector, thanks to its technical simplicityhis versatility of use and its lower costs compared to similar systems.