DC - Baltimore Maglev Train (Mayo: 2015, loans, cost of)

[adelphi_sky]

Pipe dream or attainable?

The Japanese government has promised to lend the United States half of the cost of building the first "Super-Maglev" train, reducing travel time between Baltimore and Washington DC to just 15 minutes.

Tokyo is so keen to show off its technology that it will provide loans for half the estimated $8 billion (£5bn) cost of installing the tracks, Japan's Asahi newspaper said on Tuesday.

The American federal government is keen on the project, according to Central Japan Railway Co., and state authorities are especially enthusiastic.

"The national government has shown interest,” a source at the company said. “But a number of the states in the north-east corridor — such as Maryland — are particularly keen for faster rail links and more advanced technology.”

The 37-mile journey between Washington DC and Baltimore presently takes one hour by conventional rail link, and the Japanese government and Central Japan Railway Co. hope to use the project to showcase what it believes will be the transportation technology of the future.

Source: Japan offers to lend US half the cost of 'Super Maglev' train between Washington and Baltimore - Telegraph

[MidValleyDad]

And the purpose would be?

Unless it was part of a longer route, say NY to DC with stops in Philly and Baltimore what would be the purpose? It isn't going to do well if it makes intermediate stops in the short distance between Baltimore and DC.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

And the purpose would be?

Unless it was part of a longer route, say NY to DC with stops in Philly and Baltimore what would be the purpose? It isn't going to do well if it makes intermediate stops in the short distance between Baltimore and DC.

My understanding from other talk on the subject is that there will be no stop between DC and Baltimore and the Maryland portion will only be a first phase of a line from DC to Boston.

[reiflame]

Pipe dream. Who has $4b to spend in public transportation?

[choccity]

Isn't the issue that the $8 billion would not be nearly enough to start?

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

My understanding from other talk on the subject is that there will be no stop between DC and Baltimore and the Maryland portion will only be a first phase of a line from DC to Boston.

So they are only providing enough loan money to get the system locked into their technology :-) And as someone else said the amount being offered is no where near enough. The legal disputes and Environmental fight would probably eat that much in legal fees

[adelphi_sky]

Another article on the Maglev from DC to Baltimore. It's actually the brainchild of a DC based firm.

"It's the world's fastest train, invented in America but deployed and developed in Japan," says Wayne Rogers, CEO of Northeast Maglev, a D.C.-based company that hopes to build a superconducting magnetic levitation train in the Northeast corridor.
"You'd be able to go from Washington D.C. to BWI Airport in 8 minutes and you'd be in Baltimore in 15 minutes," Rogers says.
Whooosh -- the long-nosed, narrow, white and blue train can be see hurtling by at 311 mph on its demonstration track in Yamanashi, Japan. It levitates about 4 inches above its U-shaped, concrete, guide rail.
"Anyone who's taken two magnets and put the opposite poles together has been able to push it using the magnetic force. So what superconductivity is is using a scientific process to make a very strong magnet ... that's able to propel a train," Rogers says.
It's actually not new technology. The Japanese have been developing the magnetic levitation train for the past 50 years and are currently building a line between Tokyo and Nagoya.
It wouldn't be cheap to build. Rogers estimates the mostly underground D.C.-to- Baltimore leg would cost more than $10 billion.

Read more: From D.C. to Baltimore in 15 minutes? A future possibility - WTOP.com

[the resident09]

Its laughable and at the same time unfortunate that here in the US we think of this as a "pipe dream" when this is reality in Japan and China. It's not like this is some brand new technology to the world. The United States is a joke, we should have had this done and in place last decade! At the earliest it will take 15-20 years to get done.

[adelphi_sky]

Hmmmmm. This idea is gaining some serious traction.

Business and political heavyweights turned out in droves Monday evening as a group trying to connect Baltimore and D.C. with a high-speed magnetic levitating train opened its new headquarters in Baltimore.

The Northeast Maglev, or TNEM, opened in 20,000 square feet of newly renovated space at 6 S. Gay St. Business leaders and politicians from both parties, including Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, Maryland State Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller Jr., members of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan's administration, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and representatives from Japan's embassy in the U.S., were on hand. Also in attendance were TNEM advisory board members who've spent time in public life — former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and former New York Gov. George Pataki.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...orning+Call%29

[Parsec]

This route overlaps the last leg of the Amtrak Acela express route from Boston - New Haven - NY - Philly - Baltimore - DC. Would they build 2 new stations or will they use Penn Station and Union Station as Amtrak currently does?