It floats through the air with the greatest of gauss; "gauss" - rhymes
with "out" - being a measure of magnetic force.
Shanghai's German-built Transrapid system, the world's first commercial maglev passenger train, had its inaugural passenger run on December 31st. Topping out at 267 mph (430 kmh), the train carried Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji and German chancellor Gerhard Schröder the 19 miles from Long Yang Road to Pudong International Airport in about eight minutes. The same trip normally takes about 45 minutes by car.
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In many ways, the system is the biggest innovation since the creation of the wheel. For starters, Transrapid does away with wheels, axles, brakes, motors and other mundane technologies. The track itself supports and propels the lightweight Transrapid cars, using alternating magnetic fields to push and pull them along. Freed of the burdens of all the heavy metal and friction such traditional hardware brings, maglev trains remarkably light and low maintenance.
While the Transrapid will not go into regular service until 2004, the Chinese and German builders expect the system will eventually be in worldwide use.
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