Northeast Maglev

The curvature and ROW problems are why:

“The Post reports that the two potential routes are parallel to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, and about 75 percent of the route would run about 80 to 260 feet underground.”

I screenshotted it then outlined it in red.

Putting 75% of the line between NYC and DC underground would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The California high speed rail has already ballooned to near 100 billion, and that's mostly above ground.
 
Absolutely. Thats why if you look on google maps 75% of that route has a huge, green median on a mostly straight route. Thats the reason why they are choosing this spot to start. Its also very short. So this can be a pretty easy proof of concept to get the ball rolling. Then worst case scenario if there is no desire afterwards, you're left with this short route between Baltimore and Washington DC which means it doesn't go to waste like the built portions of the Cali HSR.

Also:
“The team of private investors and a sister company, Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail, claim to have secured financial commitments, including $5 billion from Japan.”

https://www.foxnews.com/tech/incredible-311-mph-maglev-train-station-could-transform-dc-would-make-trip-to-baltimore-in-15-minutes.amp

"Northeast Maglev, which is headquartered in Maryland, has a number of former politicians and executives on its advisory board, including Christine Todd Whitman, George Pataki, Ed Rendell and Tom Daschle."



I can only see the Maglev working if it were to work the entire NER service from Boston to Washington, DC.

Why have it only at certain other cities along the route & not others? I think that it would be more beneficial if it served the entire route. Otherwise, it's no good.

And besides, we'd be looking at years worth of construction headaches to build the thing. Another years-long-Big Dig-style project with expensive shortcomings along the way. No. We're not ready for that yet. :eek:

It actually makes perfect sense. This route is short, a straight shot, and has a wide median. Perfect proof of concept to get something completed, that people can ride, and then go from there. What they want to do is avoid what California did which was build a useless part out in the middle of nowhere so that way its too big to fail and you need the rest to connect it, but when it does fail nothing gets to be used. These people want to build the shortest, easiest route first, get it working, then they can add more and more later on. Get the shortest simplest part online first, to show its even possible... which well see, then you can add the rest over time. Then if you cant, run out of money, or will...etc you're at least are left with a working section that people can use vs California which now has some viaducts out in the middle of nowhere that are useless.


Im not saying its going to or not going to happen, or it is or isn't feasible. Im just posting the story, but Im glad theres people actively working on this with Japan Railways that have put together a strong team and have investors lined up and some federal money. Its good to see people are actively working on something here trying to get something going vs just saying na its impossible and never trying. Humans can solve a whole lot of problems with enough will, money, and engineering. Its smart for them to actively already avoid the same mistakes of California who built a useless part first to try to strong arm the money and if you fail you get nothing. If they only build this short section and cant do anymore, then your left with a short working section, which Cali also could have had a decent amount of a feasible shorter leg done by now... Looking at the route they have chose it looks like about as good as its going to get in the dense NEC. Anyways though the environmental review currently being done wont be completed until early 2020 so no matter what were going to have to wait until then to see whatever they're going to say. So until then I guess just let the thread fade into the archives and well see what they say then.
 
Last edited:
Why am I bumping the thread?:

1.) These guys suddenly appeared in my Instagram scroll, so I was intrigued. Perhaps that means they're social-media savvy, for whatever the hell that might be worth in this ecosystem.

2.) So I checked-out their website, which does not appear to have been posted here prior. More justification for the thread bump (in my estimation).

https://northeastmaglev.com/

They're talking a good game! The website has a lot of details and has high production values, FWIW.

That said, as far as I can tell, this is their Amtrak manifesto:

"There will still be a need for Amtrak and MARC, the services they provide are indispensable and must continue to be upgraded as part of a comprehensive mobility plan that removes people from cars and incentivizes them to more environmentally sound transportation."

What the bleep does that mean? I'd love to know if Amtrak even bothers to think of these guys, or simply ignores/dismisses them, as a silly hype phenomenon...
 
From the first post of the thread...
A Maryland-based company, Baltimore Washington Rapid Rail, is now pushing the project. They say that if all goes well, they could begin construction as early as 2020. And they say the maglev could be operating between Washington and Baltimore in 2027.
:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Yeah, they've popped up in my social media feeds over the past couple of days, too, had no idea there was a thread about it here. What I've noticed is that their press releases are a bit craftier than typical, essentially saying nothing whatsoever about actual work. They use misleading phrasing to give the appearance that construction is actually underway, with talk about phase one having begun development, etc., with the word development doing a lot of heavy lifting. If phase one is the press release and grift phase, then yes, it's certainly underway.
 
Yeah, they've popped up in my social media feeds over the past couple of days, too, had no idea there was a thread about it here. What I've noticed is that their press releases are a bit craftier than typical, essentially saying nothing whatsoever about actual work. They use misleading phrasing to give the appearance that construction is actually underway, with talk about phase one having begun development, etc., with the word development doing a lot of heavy lifting. If phase one is the press release and grift phase, then yes, it's certainly underway.
Phase 1 is the "pump" phase. Phase 2 is the "dump" phase.
 
Phase 1 is the "pump" phase. Phase 2 is the "dump" phase.
100000%


From the first post of the thread...

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

To be fair that was a quote not an opinion of mine as it appears in the repost. I thought this was crap but still posted it so there was a place to discuss this “proposal” that was in the news about the northeast corridor.
 

Back
Top