Superconducting Light Rail Vehicle: A Transportation Solution for Highly Populated Cities

This article describes the construction and operational advantages of a superconducting magnetically levitated (MagLev) vehicle in comparison with wheel-rail traditional options and applied to urban transportation. The technology was tested with a small-scale prototype. A comparison with other MagLev technologies is presented and application niches are identified. The steps for a full-scale implementation and commercialization will also be addressed.