A turn-on interlock for propelling a vehicle, in particular a magnetic levitation train (maglev), along a track is disclosed, as well as a drive incorporating the turn-on interlock. A stator of a linear motor forming the drive and extending along the track is divided into a plurality of stator sections which can be sequentially connected to an electric power source for propelling the vehicle. Each stator section has one or more feed switches for connecting the stator section to an electric power source, and signaling elements ganged with the feed switches. The turn-on interlock prevents more than one stator section from being connected to the power source at any given time. A stator section can only be connected if all signaling elements or all signaling elements of at least a predetermined subset of the signaling elements indicate an "open" switching state of the feed switch.