Magnetic levitation, or Maglev, is a proven ultra high speed
ground transportation technology which is known as flying on the
ground. Powered by electricity, the vehicles levitate above the
guideway and are propelled by magnets on a cushion of air at
speeds up to 310 miles per hour. The 1997 federal transportation
bill provided the funding for a series of studies for
implementing Maglev in the Baltimore-Washington Corridor with
the goal of creating a Maglev system for the entire Northeast
Corridor linking cities and airports between Washington and
Boston to the north and Charlotte to the south. The project has
a federally approved Draft Environmental Impact Statement that
can be seen at: www.bwmaglev.com. The project has also submitted
a draft of the Final Impact Statement to the federal government.
The need for such a system is evident. The Baltimore-Washington
Corridor will grow by 50 percent to 11 million people by 2040
and the entire Northeast Corridor will add an additional 20
million people by 2050. Wit