The Federal Railroad Administration is set to spend $45 million to study three magnetic levitation train projects in Baltimore and Washington, Pittsburgh, and between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn. With Amtrak and our ATC in a constant budget squeeze, do we really need this?
Given our national transportation infrastructure funding deficits, the air traffic control system and the Acela would be a far better investment for these millions of dollars. Let’s get the traditional trains we have repaired and the iron rails we have improved to carry passenger service where it is already established and has right-of-way. Rattling commuter lines could use plenty of help in almost every American metropolitan area.
Having a maglev train that can travel between Washington, DC, and Baltimore in 15 minutes sounds nice, but with stops along the way, the ultimate schedules will only end up shaving minutes off the current rail links if they have the funding and permitting needed.
Plus, this latest maglev train funding will only take the project through the Final Environmental Impact Statement and won’t deal with technology as I understand the grant. We have other transportation needs and ongoing projects in place that have already been fully vetted through the EPA and local environmental mazes.
Trains have been tested in Japan and China and have reached high speeds, however, they are really point to point solutions, not commuter solutions. Yes, they are elegant and fast, but not practical.
The German Transrapid maglev project has been tested and demonstrated for years. Here is a video of their experience. There has been lots of testing, but no commercial line constructed yet in Europe. A recent maglev train proposed and approved to link Munich with its airport has been canceled because of financial shortfalls.
Here in the USA project proponents face far more than only the budgetary hurdles. This isn’t the time to shuffle money away from real needs to chase the maglev dream.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
