Maglev lifts

[Plumber]

I've just been reading in the paper today, apparently the worlds first maglev lifts are going to make their debut in 2008 (lifts controlled by by magnetic attraction and repulsion).

My question is. Who is going to be brave enough to give them ago? I for one like the idea of being attached to a cable rather than just floating in mid air when there's a power cut.:raf:

 

[budgie]

I think I watched something on channel 5 once, between family affairs and some dodgy soft core flick. It was all about how the Japs are pioneering this type of stuff on thier bullet trains. I'd rather be dangling in air, with the very least a big cushion to land on, then hurtling along at 200mph with nothing but the magical power of magnets to slow me down!

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

I would assume that these lifts would have a similar safety back-up as conventional lifts? (ie a ratchet brake that engages if the tension in the cable is lost - in this case fail-safe engagement in case of power loss)

There has only ever been one case of a lift cable breaking I believe, that was when a USAF WWII bomber got lost in fog over manhatten and crashed into the Empire State Building, severing the lift cable - the ratchet brake worked and the lift did not fall. (I dare sare on 11/9/01 some lift cables snapped, but that was slightly different circumstances)

Presumably the maglev is a more efficient system - or would allow lifts to go greater distances than present (I think conventional lifts can only go about 20 or so storeys) and thus can be express elevators in the latest extremely tall skyscrapers?

(edited to accomodate pedantic comment from thickmick)

 

[thickmick]

Why, what happened on 7/9/01?

 

[Enguineer]

I think that was one in a series of closing down do's at Bruggen.

 

[A CLING NERD SHRON]

I've just been reading in the paper today, apparently the worlds first maglev lifts are going to make their debut in 2008 (lifts controlled by by magnetic attraction and repulsion).

My question is. Who is going to be brave enough to give them ago? I for one like the idea of being attached to a cable rather than just floating in mid air when there's a power cut.:raf:

Now then what was it you said to Bengo in another thread?

Ah yes

Er, I don't know. Is it the sound of people clicking to another more interesting thread???

DT_Xtremez_03: