The Incheon Airport Maglev[2] was a maglev line in South Korea that opened on 3 February 2016 and closed on 1 September 2023.[3] It was the world's second commercially operating unmanned urban maglev line after Japan's Linimo. The trains were lighter, cutting construction costs in half.[4] The majority of construction was completed by November 2012.
This maglev line specifically utilized electromagnetic suspension (EMS) and linear induction motor (LIM) propulsion.[7] The train was one of the first commercial maglev trains since the 1980s. Two more stages were planned of 9.7 km (6.0 mi) and 37.4 km (23.2 mi). Once completed it would have become a circular line.[8][9][10] These lines made up a core project that the Korea Rail Network Authority managed.[7]
Stations
Maglev station platform in Incheon AirportIncheon Airport maglev station train arrival screen
The maglev train, nicknamed ECOBEE, was co-developed by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (known as the KIMM, which is part of the Korea University of Science and Technology) and Hyundai Rotem.[11][12] It is 6.1 kilometres (3.8 mi) long, with six stations and a 80 km/h (50 mph) operating speed (the design maximum speed is 110 km/h (68 mph)).[13]
This train was part of South Korea's Urban Maglev Program (UMP) which started in December 2006. This program reached out to prominent companies and organizations for rail development, like KIMM and Hyundai. The UMP represents Korea's push for R&D in maglev systems in order to engender a magnetic levitation transportation system to replace Korea's current urban transportation means. This train system is the result of a development project started in 1989 within the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM).[7]
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport contributed 59% of the funds, around ₩217.4 billion (US$190.04 million), with Incheon Airport Corporation spending ₩78.7 billion (US$68.8 million) amounting to 25%, and Incheon City paying ₩18.9 billion (US$16.52 million) which comes to 6%. Additionally, ₩100 billion (US$87.42 million) was spent on research. This totals over ₩415 billion (US$362.78 million) of taxpayer money spent on the short lived project.[14]
Response to the COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID pandemic the line was reduced to operate during rush hours only, departing Airport Terminal 1 Station every 15 minutes from 07:30 to 09:00 and 18:00-19:00. The reduced service was still operating in May 2022 but was expected to return to full-time service shortly after.
COVID-19 reduced service in May 2022
Closure
At its height in 2019, the Incheon Maglev saw just 4000 passengers each day.[15] This is only 11% of expected usage levels.[16] During the coronavirus pandemic, this number reduced by over 90% to just 300 daily passengers on average.[15]
The line was temporarily closed from 14 July 2022 due to maintenance and repair of the carriages not being completed on time (required every 3 years)[17] as per the Railroad Safety Act.
At the National Assembly Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee meeting on 22 August 2022, Rep. Heo Jong-sik of Dong-gu, Incheon called for a “plan to reduce operating costs”, as annual maintenance fees hit ₩6 billion (US$5.24 million).[16]
On 17 October 2022, the National Assembly Transportation Committee held an inspection of the Incheon International Airport Corporation. They received stern critiques regarding the cost; it was revealed that Incheon Maglev required ₩500 billion (US$437.08 million) of investment over the next 10 years.[14] This is more than the cost of its initial construction.
On 16 June 2023, the Construction and Transportation Committee of Incheon City Council approved plans to convert the track from Maglev to orbital tram tracks.[18] The City Council argued that maintenance costs could be cut by up to 35% due to the difficulty and high cost in purchasing parts for Maglev trains.[19]
Changes and potential reopening
A proposal to cut costs was passed at the Incheon City Planning Committee on 26 July 2023. The new plan would reduce the operating time from 13 hours to 6 hours and decrease the number of trains from 103 to 25. It was projected that these changes would cut down annual operating costs from ₩8.2 billion (US$7.17 million) to ₩5.3 billion (US$4.63 million).[20]
On 3 January 2024, Incheon International Airport Corporation announced that operations are expected to resume from March 2024.[21]
Rolling stock
Hyundai Rotem both developed and manufactured the rolling stock for the line. The 4 trains consist of 2 carriages, namely A and B. Each carriage is 6 metres (19 ft 8 in) long, 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) wide and 3.45 metres (11 ft 4 in) high, they weigh 19 tonnes (19 long tons; 21 short tons) and have a starting acceleration and service brake of 1.1 m/s2 (3.6 ft/s2).
Train systems such as the Incheon Airport Maglev use air brakes and electric brakes. However, magnetic levitation trains use regenerative braking and plugging braking as opposed to normal trains using regenerative braking and air braking. Regenerative braking is used when the speed of the motor exceeds the synchronous speed. When this happens, the motor changes current flow so that the motor brakes. After this happens, the excess power is converted to power for the motor. Plugging braking is used when the supply terminals are switched, but it is criticized as a wasteful practice, because in order to switch the terminals, an external resistor needs to be implemented as a stopper for the current flow. As a result, power is lost.[citation needed]
With the Urban Transit Maglev (now referred to as the "Incheon Airport Maglev") in South Korea as a test model, a study was conducted on exploring the relationship between the variation of slip frequency and energy efficiency of regenerative braking. The slip frequency decreases the limit for the regenerative extinction point. After testing, researchers noticed that this decrease of the frequency led to a decrease in the conversion time of the phase current back into the system. This decreased the required energy to brake, thus accumulating more regenerated power.[citation needed]
^Han, Woojin. "영종자기부상열차 2단계". 미래철도DB (in Korean). Retrieved 9 July 2018.
^Medimorec, Nikola (28 January 2012). "Maglev at Incheon International Airport to be completed this year". Kojects. Retrieved 10 July 2018. Two more stages of construction are planned for the line; stage two is a 9.7km extension that continues from Yongyoo Station, past the planned Marine World and up to Dragon City. Though this stage was originally scheduled to be completed in time for the Asian Games, setbacks in the development of neighboring projects are still causing delays. The final stage will be significantly longer, a 37.4km extension that continues around the outer rim of the island and loop back to the airport.
