Will the maglev be the u.s.?

Question

just wondering what people think

Answer 1

There's been serious talk about setting up a demonstration line, such as between Baltimore and Washington, DC, but due to the costs and the possible environmental complaints related to the technology, the talk hasn't resulted in any actions.

Also, in polite response to Mach 2, Amtrak has an excellent "track" record of operating high-speed train service over the Northeast Corridor at sustained speeds of 120mph.  Even on lower-grade track, such as between the corridor and Florida, the trains typically run at 69 mph.

Answer 2

Very unlikely, at least through the foreseeable future.  The technology, while inviting, is far from being reliable and efficient, as it is still, for the most part, in the developmental stage. For instance, I believe Japan had a short segment of Maglev but shut it down in recent years due to high cost and unreliability.

At this time, if you're after efficiency and speed at a reasonable cost and ROI, there is still nothing that can beat electrics.  So, if the U.S. ever wants to develop a high-speed rail system similar in nature to what France has, electric propulsion is the way to go.

Answer 3

NO

Maglev has almost no benefits over high speed conventional rail.

Eurostar, TGV and Japan's Bullet trains have all proven that conventional rail can safely be operated at very high speeds and that is raised almost monthly.

The cost benefit to maglev is 0, for one mile of maglev you could build hundreds of miles of conventional high speed rail and use existing equipment.

Virtually everything in maglev is horribly expensive to build and nothing in use today can be retrofitted or upgraded to work with it.

In very specific applications it may be used where no existing rail network is available but for the most part, it is simply not economically feasible.

The returns for money spent are almost none.

Answer 4

No.  Not for a long time.  The relatively low population density, requirement to move within a small corridor, need for Federal and State funding, and the love affair Americans have with the automobile mean such things are in the very, very distant future.

Until fuel is double its current cost air and cars will remain the predominant forms of transportation.

Besides can you imagine Amtrak operating at speeds over 40 MPH!?  Their track record (pun intended) is rather abysmal as it is!!

Answer 5

I disagree with Mach 2. I think that Maglev technology, for both short-distance and long-distance routes, is a viable option for the United States. With the rather dismal state of air travel, I think that a high-speed train has a chance for success.

There are several localities who are actively persuing high-speed train travel (including Maglev). One such possible route involves a Las Vegas-Los Angeles run.

The current idea (not quite a plan) is to test the Maglev's abilities by running trains from Las Vegas to the proposed international airport at Ivanpah (NV/CA stateline). If the line is successful, then the plan would be to extend the line to Victorville and then possibly on into Los Angeles.