M-Bahn Berlin April 1990

Often thought of as a 'magnetic levitation' transport was the (West) Berlin, Germany, M-Bahn. This system used a linear synchronous motor in the guideway which reacted with permanent magnets on the vehicles to provide 85% of the support as well as propel the trains. The vehicles were also fitted with small lateral and vertical rollers which provided 15% of the support as well as helping keep the vehicle within preset lateral limits.

Very much experimental in nature there were just three stations along a 1.6 km route which took the train very close to the former division between the Eastern and Western sectors of the city.

This installation ceased operating in the early 1990's - it was partially built over a closed section of the former U-Bahn and with Berlins' re-unification the route was needed to allow the U-Bahn to be reopened.

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This video includes views of all three stations (Gleisdreieck - where the M-Bahn took over a [then] disused U-Bahn station platform, Bernburger Str. and Kemperplatz) plus the Berlin wall, which 5 months after its breaching had already been partly demolished.

The M-Bahn also features on my website, on a page which looks at Monorails, Maglevs and 'Cabin' Transports.

http://citytransport.info/Monorail.htm

Further information & weblinks about the M-Bahn can also be found at the free online "Wikipedia" encyclopædia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Bahn
(English language).

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Bahn
(German language).