China builds first rare earth PML maglev line

NANCHANG -- China on Tuesday completed the construction of the country's first independently-developed trial line using rare earth permanent magnetic levitation technology.

Dubbed "Rainbow," the maglev line that is about 800 meters long was built in Xingguo county, East China's Jiangxi province.

The trial line, jointly developed by the Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, China Railway Liuyuan Group (CRL Group), China Railway Hi-Tech Industry Co Ltd and China National Rare Earth Functional Material Innovation Center, can be applied to bear air trains with medium and low speed and volume.

With a designed maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the rail system now can serve a two-carriage maglev train with a carrying capacity of 88 people. The transit system is equipped with the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, 5G and intelligent sensing technologies.

The track with rare earth PML technology can keep trains in a state of suspension, which is energy-saving and environmentally friendly.

Chen Guodong, general manager of CRL Group, said "Rainbow" is a cost-effective rail transit mode, which has broad application scenarios such as scenic spots, airport terminal connections, business centers and small towns.