As of December 2010, five different programs have operational test tracks: General Atomics in San Diego, California; Emsland Test Facility in Emsland, Germany; JR-Maglev in Japan; US-FTA's UMTD Program; and the Southwestern Jiaotong University in China.
The San Diego test facility stands out because of its novel design. It employs passive permanent magnets that preclude the need for an on-board power supply. According to Professor Kenneth James Ph.D, once the system passes testing rigors and is implemented in the planned Los Angeles freight corridor, residents and commuters can expect to enjoy significantly reduced pollution and congestion. The Los Angeles freight corridor represents a perfect candidate for the maglev because it's currently overrun with pollution-causing freight trucks.
The maglev train that runs on the Tobu Kyuryo Line located in Nagoya, Japan, opened in March 2005. JR Central and Japan's Railway Technical Research Institute developed this high-speed superconducting maglev. The trains have an especially attractive feature: A total absence of rolling noise means the bustling Nagoya metro enjoys reduced noise pollution.
Although the Shanghai Maglev Train can boast speeds up to 311 mph, its Transrapid developer still receives criticism from passengers who would like to see more stops. Ramping up to 300 mph only to stop 20 miles down the road is not a logical use for the maglev. Because frequent stops are not a strength of the maglev system, many cities have chosen high-speed railway instead.
Korea's HML-03 was the first public maglev train system. Manufactured by Hyundai Heavy Industries, it debuted at the Daejeon Expo in 1993. It continues to run on a short, 0.6 mile track in downtown Daejeon, Korea.
