MagLev Advantages vs Disadvantages
PROS+Little maintenance
because MagLev cars never actually touch the track, hardly any mainenance has to be done, saving lots of money +Efficiency because of the magnetic levitation there is no friction between the cars and the track, making them ultra efficient - even more so than airplanes. They are also capable of transporting more people while using less energy to do so +Safety accidents are far more likely to occur in cars than in airplanes or trains +Pollution MagLev trains themselves do not pollute. Since they use electricity they are capable of running on solar, wind, and other renewable sources +Speed MagLev trains can travel at speeds competitive with that of airplanes. When considering all the time it takes to get through an airport or the amount of traffic you sit through in a car, the MagLev is considerably faster +Less Impact Because the MagLev can be elevated it can have less of an impact on the environment than roads and convetional train tracks. Also, it is much quieter than some other modes of transportation. +Competiton Having a competitive mode of transportation will create jobs, drive down prices, and motivate innovation |
CONS-Costs
Start-up costs are enormous with all the guideways that would need to be put in place and it could take years to pay that off -Imact Although the tracks could be elevated, there would still be the addition of guideways crossing great amounts of land -Energy Consumption Larger train cars are tougher to levitate and require quite a bit more energy, making them less efficient -Safety while the MagLev can be safer overall, any infrequent accidents that do occur are likely to be more catastrophic due to the elevated guideways and incredible speeds |