MAGLEV Passes Milestone TEST

It was a short trip, but a major milestone on a long journey.

The Old Dominion University team behind the magnetic levitation (maglev) research project tested a 12-foot-long train base car on 50 feet of elevated track on the south side of campus

"This is a significant milestone. We have always said that we wanted to show that we could levitate it and propel it, and we have done it," said Jerry Creedon, director of transportation research.

During the test, the 12-foot-long car, called a bogie, moved back and forth at several miles per hour. Its trip length was limited because it required a cable to run to the device controlling its movement.

This track test has been a long time coming. Levitation has been accomplished in the lab for three years now.  2010 could be a busy year for maglev testing on the campus.

The MagneMotion maglev vehicle - a $7.9 million magnetic levitation project by a Massachusetts firm - is due to be tested on the ODU track in 2010.