Maglev train idea for Northeast resurfaces

[happyslug]

33. Those old stone bridges can take the stress of those trains.

The problem is NOT the bridges, but the tracks 0n the Bridges. Remember those bridges were built for heavy STEAM locomotives. Steam Locomotives were just terror on tracks and bridges do to the fact their drive wheels were FIXED and thus on any turn put tremendous pressure on the tracks on the the structures beneath the tracks. The stress of a high speed train using electric drive is minor compared to what the old Steam engines did to those tracks and structures under the tracks.

Side note: What we call "diesel" locomotives are in fact Diesel generators that produce electrical power to the Electric motors on the drive wheels. Each wheel can be independent of any other wheel and provide its full power onto the track. This power is provided to the track directly, no left or right push if the track is turning left or right as was the case with Steam Locomotives. The main reason Diesels replaced Steam is that the Railroads could reduce track maintenance with Diesel, Diesels did less damage to the tracks AND could operate on tracks that would cause a Steam Locomotive to go off the track,

In simple terms, the use of Stone Bridges are NOT a problem even if you decide to up the speed of a train in 170 mph. The Tracks would have to be relied to take that speed, but the stones bridges should be all right.

If the decision is to go to MAGLEV, the same issues. The MAGLEV tracks can to based on a Stone Bridge, the problem will be the magnetic track itself not the Stone Bridge it may sit on. It is for this reason it has been suggested that any new track be underground, so to minimize how much above ground land has to be taken to carry the track. Being electric drive, both high speed Steel Rail and Maglev can go underground will a lot less concern with the air quality in the resulting tunnel (i.e. no fuel burning engine to release Carbon monoxide into the tunnel if not enough oxygen is in the tunnel).

Now where the Stone Bridges are may be a problem, in that high speed rail needs more straightaways then slower trains. This is true of High Speed Steel Wheel on Steel Rail or Maglev. Thus the stone bridges may be bypassed NOT because they can NOT carry the high speed train, but the location of the Stone Bridge may be out of the way once a straighter track is built.