High-speed maglev project paused for more design and engineering details
Written by RT&S Staff
Example of a Maglev Train
Wikimedia
A high-speed superconducting magnetic levitation system (maglev) between Washington and Baltimore is still in the works. However, right now it is up to the engineers to hold the project up. That’s because the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is putting the project on pause so more information can be provided from a design and engineering perspective.
Northeast Maglev is working on providing more details in order to move forward with the environmental impact statement, but the FRA does not want work to have to be redone once the engineering inputs are finalized. The FRA was expected to give its stamp of approval in mid-2019. Once the environmental impact statement is complete tunneling could begin in 2021, with project completion set for 2028.
The 40-mile rail network is expected to move from Washington, D.C., to New York in under an hour, but building the D.C.-to-Baltimore maglev line could cost as much as $12 billion. Northeast Maglev says it already has $5 billion in funding from Japan.
The FRA is looking at two routes for the D.C./Baltimore line. Both are parallel to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Northeast Maglev prefers the route on the east side of the highway because the one on the west side would affect residential properties.
A draft of the environmental impact statement could come in early 2020.
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