The Status Of The American Maglev Initiative

Abstract

Consider the prospect of traveling between Washington D.C. and Now York City at 300 miles per hour with no weather and traffic related congesting delays. Add to this the possibility that the trip would start close to your home town and take you directly to the heart of Washington. If this isn't enough, you never leave the ground, you don't stop - except at the Washington terminus, and the vehicle you ride in is quiet, efficient, comfortable, and doesn't pollute the air along the right-of-way. Does this sound like science fiction -- well it isn't. Maglev, or magnetically levitated vehicles can do all of this and more, and they are definitely not science fiction! This paper will discuss the reasons that the United States should embark on a program to develop a Maglev concept, and describe the status of the legislative and executive initiatives that are pending to help in the development of an American Maglev. The benefits that will be discussed include reducing air traffic delays, increasing the fuel efficiency for travel that is in the 300 mile range, relieving some of the highway congestion that we are confronted with, and the development of a technology that will be the transportation system of the twenty first century.