Vehicles are propelled by a linear synchronous motor winding in the magway and controlled by a central computer. The vehicles are supported resiliently on a magnetic cushion, and are free to roll ten degrees in either direction from the bank angle of the magway. The maximum size vehicle weighs 45 tonnes gross, and carries 140 passengers, three and two abreast. The magway structure is a curved box girder whose upper surface forms a trough of aluminum sheet with an open slot at its center. A meander-shaped propulsion winding occupies the center slot.
Vehicles carry permanent magnets.
Levitation forces, guidance forces, and righting moments are exerted by currents induced in the magway surface by the motion of the vehicle magnets. Propulsion forces are produced by AC current in the guideway propulsion windings which generate a traveling wave. The vehicle rides this wave like a surfboard. Wayside power conditioning units spaced at 2 km intervals, synchronize the traveling wave with the vehicle, and generate active damping forces on the basis of position and acceleration information transmitted from vehicle sensors. The Magplane system thus achieves continuous traffic flow similar to highways, rather than the batch flow process of railroads with on-line stations.