The firm, a start-up called Hyper Poland, has conducted the first tests on its “magrail technology” in Warsaw, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
The tests were carried out on a demonstration track with a length of almost 50 metres using a one-to-five scale model, the news agency reported.
It quoted Hyper Poland’s Przemysław Pączek as saying: "We have presented the first prototype of magrail technology. It is inspired by the concept of hyperloop technology and makes it possible to transform existing railway infrastructure into a passive magnetic rail system.”
Pączek added that the new technology will see trains move along regular railway tracks much faster than classic trains and use less energy, PAP reported.
The firm’s Katarzyna Foljanty said that, thanks to magrail technology, trains will be able to travel at speeds of up 300 kph on conventional rail lines and up to 415 kph on high-speed routes.
Hyper Poland’s Paweł Radziszewski said: "A magnetic railway is a railway that uses magnetic levitation instead of wheels to move."
He explained that the trains will float over the tracks, thanks to which it will be possible to eliminate friction and wheel wear.
Magnetic rail systems are already in operation in Japan and China, but the Polish start-up wants to use a novel mechanism known as passive magnetic levitation, PAP reported.
The company wants to go commercial with its idea during the next five years.
Hyper Poland is working on the new technology using PLN 16.5 million (EUR 3.8m, USD 4.3m) in funding from Poland’s National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) and support from business partners including Microsoft, PAP reported.
(gs/pk)
Source: PAP, hyperpoland.com