Caphiria Express Lionized Electric Rail

Caphiria Express Lionized Electric Rail

CELER
Overview
Main region(s)	Caphiria
Headquarters	Venceia, Caphiria
Dates of operation	1 July 1992–present
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (standard gauge)
Operating speed	1,000 kilometres per hour (620 mph)

Caphiria Express Lionized Electric Rail (CELER), colloquially referred to as the Express or Express Rail, is a network of high-speed maglev railway lines operating in the Imperium of Caphiria. CELER was designed for long-distance travel across the Imperium and to aid economic growth and development in more rural areas. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network. The network is operated through a joint venture between several private companies and the Office of Railroad Administration, a function of the Ministry of Infrastructure.

CELER's origins are rooted in the Occidental Cold War, where it began as a governmental response to the growing spread of the Levantine Creep conspiracy theory during the 1960s: in the event of a hypothetical catastrophic event that leveled Caphiria, the government needed a way to connect to every city in the country, no matter how far away. Under the guise of a sudden national effort to rapidly modernize and expand Caphiria's high-speed rail systems across the country, the government of Caphiria fielded proposals from both the public and private sectors. Policy planners debated the necessity and economic viability of a high-speed rail; supporters argued that high-speed rail would boost future economic growth, and opponents noted that high-speed rail in other countries was expensive and mostly unprofitable. Calocas Mavolizza - an engineer from the Equite class, won with his "induttore" concept, which would form the backbone technology of CELER.

Since 1992, CELER has carried over 10 billion passengers without a single passenger fatality or injury on board due to derailments or collisions. CELER is one of the world's most extensively used railway services, and with a maximum speed of 1,000 kmh (620 mph) it operates the fastest commercial electric train in the world and has set numerous speed records.

Technology

The AREX System is the core technology behind the maglev railway network. The system relies on magnetic levitation, allowing the trains to hover above the guideway, significantly reducing friction and noise while improving overall efficiency and passenger comfort.

Guideway

The Guideway is an essential component of the AREX System, providing the stable and efficient foundation necessary for the high-speed operation of the trains. The guideway consists of two sets of parallel, elevated tracks, designed to support the magnetic levitation, propulsion, and stabilization of the train. Advanced materials and technologies have been incorporated into the guideway's design to ensure durability, safety, and efficiency.

The guideway structure is made from reinforced concrete, incorporating advanced materials such as ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and carbon fiber reinforcement. These materials incorporate fine powders, such as silica fume, and high-strength steel or carbon fibers, which contribute to its enhanced mechanical properties and provide the guideway with exceptional strength and durability, enabling it to withstand the high dynamic loads and stresses experienced during high-speed maglev operation. Additionally, the elevated design of the guideway helps to minimize the impact on the environment and reduces the risk of potential obstacles or hazards.

The guideway features arrays of electromagnets, known as guideway magnets, placed at regular intervals on both the upper and lower sections of the tracks. These magnets are made from high-performance rare-earth materials, such as neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt, which provide strong and consistent magnetic fields necessary for the levitation and stabilization of the train. The magnets are encapsulated in protective housings to shield them from environmental factors and ensure their long-term reliability. To accommodate the natural expansion and contraction of the guideway due to temperature fluctuations, expansion joints are incorporated into the guideway design. These joints allow the guideway to expand or contract without compromising its structural integrity, ensuring a consistent and stable surface for the maglev train. In addition, advanced vibration dampening materials and systems are employed to reduce the transmission of vibrations and noise between the guideway and its surroundings, which contributes to a smoother and more comfortable ride at such high speeds.

Levitation system

The Pellabor Levitation Component (PLC) is responsible for the magnetic levitation of the train above the guideway The levitation system employs a combination of superconducting electromagnets and passive magnetic levitation technologies, providing a stable, efficient, and contactless means of suspending the train. This results in reduced friction, noise, and wear, enabling high-speed operation and a smooth, comfortable ride for passengers.

The active magnetic levitation technology used in the PLC is through the use of superconducting electromagnets. These electromagnets are installed on the underside of the train and generate a strong, controllable magnetic field that interacts with the guideway magnets, producing lift and levitation. The superconducting electromagnets in the levitation system utilize niobium-titanium coils, a type of superconducting material that exhibits zero electrical resistance when cooled below its critical temperature. The coils are cooled using liquid helium, maintaining a temperature of approximately 4 Kelvin (-269°C, -452°F). This cooling process allows the electromagnets to generate powerful magnetic fields with minimal energy loss, improving the efficiency and performance of the levitation system.

The magnetic field generated by the superconducting electromagnets can be precisely controlled through adjustments to the electrical current flowing through the coils. This control is essential for maintaining the optimal levitation height and stability of the train during operation. Sensors continuously monitor the gap between the train and the guideway, providing real-time feedback to the levitation control system. This feedback enables the control system to make precise adjustments to the current, ensuring a consistent and stable levitation gap throughout the journey.

In addition to the superconducting electromagnets, the Pellabor Levitation System employs passive magnetic levitation technology to enhance the stability and efficiency of the train's suspension. This technology relies on the interaction between permanent magnets installed on the train and the guideway, creating a repulsive magnetic force that contributes to the levitation and stabilization of the train. High-performance permanent magnets, such as the neodymium-iron-boron and samarium-cobalt ones found in the guideway magnets are used in the passive magnetic levitation system. These magnets provide a strong and stable magnetic field, ensuring reliable performance and minimal energy consumption. The combination of passive magnetic levitation with the superconducting electromagnets creates a robust and efficient levitation system capable of maintaining a consistent and stable levitation gap during high-speed operation.

The levitation system is designed to maintain a levitation gap of approximately 10-15 centimeters (4-6 inches) between the train and the guideway. This gap ensures a contactless and frictionless suspension of the train, allowing for high-speed operation with minimal energy loss and wear on the system components. Advanced control algorithms and real-time feedback from sensors ensure that the levitation gap remains constant and stable during acceleration, deceleration, and changes in the guideway geometry.