Indian Railways to run magnetic trains soon

Trains that can travel 500 km an hour may soon become a reality in India, as the Indian Railways is mulling options to run trains on magnetic tracks.

The Suresh Prabhu-led ministry of railways has floated a tender on August 4 to explore opportunities of maglev trains in India, which can hit 500 kmph. Maglev is a transport method that uses magnetic levitation to move vehicles without touching the ground. A maglev train floats above the tracks on a "cushion" of magnetic field.

A vehicle can travel along a guideway using magnets to create both lift and propulsion, thereby reducing friction by a great extent and allowing high speeds. Magnets on the track push and lift the train up in the air by about 1 inch to 6 inches. These "track" magnets are controlled by a computers which keep shifting forward the magnetic force of the "track" magnets so that the vehicle is pulled forward.