Maglev
The world's first commercial maglev system was a low-speed maglev shuttle that ran between the airport terminal of Birmingham International Airport and the nearby Birmingham International railway station between 1984 and 1995. Its track length was , and trains levitated at an altitude of , levitated by electromagnets, and propelled with linear induction motors. It operated for 11 years and was initially very popular with passengers, but obsolescence problems with the electronic systems made it progressively unreliable as years passed, leading to its closure in 1995. One of the original cars is now on display at Railworld in Peterborough, together with the RTV31 hover train vehicle. Another is on display at the National Railway Museum in York.
Electromagnetic suspension
Maglev (magnetic levitation) is a transportation system in which a vehicle is suspended on a guiding rail by the principle of electromagnetic suspension. Maglev has the advantages of being quieter and smoother than wheeled transportations due to the elimination of much of the physical contact between wheels and track. Since maglev requires a guiding rail, it is mostly used in railed transport systems like trains.