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Why are maglev trains still rare? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

137 comments fedilink hide all child comments

They were invented decades ago.

They have fewer moving parts than wheelbois.

They require less maintenance.

There's obviously some bottleneck in expanding maglev technology, but what is it?

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[–] rufus@discuss.tchncs.de 38 points 1 year ago (7 children)

They're super expensive. Few people are willing to pay the massive amount extra for the slight dectease in travel time. Investors also know that.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 12 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Look at HS2 in Britain and how people are against the cost for higher speed options, or California HSR. I'm all for it, it should absolutely be done, but getting taxpayers to see 10 years into the future is difficult.

[–] LazerFX@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

That's because HS2 is a totally flawed, Ill thought out, over budget and badly managed boondoggle - just like everything in the UK rail system since the Beeching cuts in the 60's. If it was properly run, well thought out - and actually made a significant difference in time (not approximately 15 minutes from Piccadilly to Euston), we'd support it.

[–] BlueForest@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 year ago

I agree with all of that, but the thing is that faster journey times shouldn't be the main selling point of HS2 in the first place; it'll relieve capacity of the groaningly overused West Coast Mainline, allowing more freight and cheaper short journeys.

If it's properly managed.

Which it won't be.

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