| Often thought of as a 'magnetic levitation' transport was the (West) Berlin, Germany, M-Bahn. This system used a linear synchronous motor in the guideway which reacted with permanent magnets on the vehicles to provide 85% of the support as well as propel the trains. The vehicles were also fitted with small lateral and vertical rollers which provided 15% of the support as well as helping keep the vehicle within preset lateral limits. Very much experimental in nature there were just three stations along a 1.6 km route which took the train very close to the former division between the Eastern and Western sectors of the city. This installation ceased operating in the early 1990's - it was partially built over a closed section of the former U-Bahn and with Berlins' re-unification the route was needed to allow the U-Bahn to be reopened. ------------------------------ This video includes views of all three stations (Gleisdreieck - where the M-Bahn took over a [then] disused U-Bahn station platform, Berburger Str. and Kemperplatz) plus the Berlin wall, which 5 months after its breaching had already been partly demolished. The M-Bahn also features on my website, on a page which looks at Monorails, Maglevs and 'Cabin' Transports. citytransport.info Further indformation & weblinks about the M-Bahn can also be found at the free online "Wikipedia" encyclopædia. en.wikipedia.org (English language). de.wikipedia.org (German language). |
