The hypothesis under study of a partnership between Nevomo and Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI). Italy wants to introduce super-fast magnetic levitation trains.
Looking especially at the news of the last month, it's pretty clear that the future of travel also passes through the train tracks. An old project from China, as expensive as it is seemingly insane, has once again caused discussion: an underwater train capable of reaching North America through the Bering Strait. In reality, underwater trains are nothing new. The most striking case is the one that passes under the Channel and connects Europe to England, through France.
Now Italy too contributes to a more efficient future on rails. With great news for all those who take the train and are in a hurry.
What is the supertrain that will make travel faster
The hypothesis is about to be deepened by a partnership between Nevomo and Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) and would allow, if it were transformed into reality, to make trains travel at almost twice the current speed without changing the main characteristics of the railway lines. Pure fantasy?
The technology is called magrail and aims to superimpose magnetic levitation systems on the existing infrastructure. From a technical point of view, the magrail system aims to allow both conventional trains and new maglev vehicles to pass over the same line. The latter, taking advantage of the new technology, will be able to benefit from an increase in speed that, according to the hypotheses under study, could be up to 75% higher than the current one.
Where will the tests of the super train take place
The two companies intend to apply for funding from the European Union for the realization of a real magrail pilot project on the test track owned by RFI in Bologna San Donato. This will be the last phase of testing, which should trigger the processes of certification and homologation necessary to allow the commercial implementation of the technology.
In short, magnetic levitation is a reality and the chances of innovation are absolutely concrete, as well as very convenient, because magrail would mean greater efficiency on an infrastructure for the most part already available. All that remains is to wait.
With regard to innovations in the world of rail transport, there is this curious proposal from Sweden: a chip under the skin instead of a ticket. Maybe not very practical, but surely proof for those who don't want to pay.
Giuseppe Giordano