Linear Motor-Based High-Speed Rail Transit System: A Sustainable Approach

Rapidly rising economies and urbanization have immensely increased the energy concerns in transportation sector. The road transportation system is unable to provide long-term solutions to these problems due to raging fuel prices, rising environmental concerns, and worsening traffic congestion as a result of the increasing private vehicle ownership. Thus, to improve the energy security in this sector, emphasis must be given to the development of mass rail transit systems. The actual challenge lies in developing such rail transit systems that can reduce the dependency on road transport with lesser carbon footprints. However, conventional rail transit systems based on rotary motors possess many limitations in terms of speed, efficiency, automation, and sustainability. The development of a linear motor-based high-speed rail transportation system can provide a viable solution to these problems. The use of linear motors in these systems offers many advantages as compared to rotary motor-based conventional rail transportation systems. Being fully electrified, such a system also decreases the dependency on oil products making it a greener and more contemporary alternative to conventional rail transportation systems. This chapter gives a basic understanding of high-speed rail transportation systems. It describes the various constituents of high-speed rail transportation systems in detail, with a focus on the advancement attained by different countries in this technology, to make the system efficient and sustainable. This chapter also highlights the relevance of linear motor-based high-speed rail transit systems in today’s scenario. A comparison of these technologies to analyze their applicability in context with India is also discussed.