Linear motor trains are seeing more use in major subway systems thanks to their compact size, cheaper cost and safety.
But magnetically levitated trains are having a more difficult time taking off because of their high costs and the time required to develop them.
Linear motor trains are named after the magnetic motors that propel them. The trains are driven by magnetic fields generated by electrically charged coils attached to the cars and by metal plates fixed to the tracks. The trains themselves, however, can either float or run on wheels like conventional trains.
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