New York - Washington Maglev

New York - Washington Maglev

There are already plans to implement Maglev-based systems in Mexico City, New Delhi, and Paris, but United States entrepreneurs and scientists are just as enthusiastic about New York. The Northeast Maglev Company in Washington D.C. wants to create the first Maglev transport system in the U.S., specifically for the Northeast Corridor region, powered by Amtrak’s railway system, traveling from Boston to New York, to Baltimore to Washington D.C.

The Northeast Maglev line map

Where?

The Northeast Maglev Company wants their Superconducting Maglev to travel from Washington D.C. to New York, undoubtedly the most congested travel region in the U.S. In association with the Central Japan Railway Company, which developed the technology in 1987, based on American research.

How Fast?

SCMAGLEV recorded a speed of 361 mph / 581 kph, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s highest speed on a railway.

Conventional, linear motor comparison

What Are the Differences Between the Japanese Maglev and German Maglev?

SCMAGLEV uses superconducting magnets, and the German Transrapid uses standard conducting electromagnets. There are also different magnetic levitation choices: SCMAGLEV uses inductive magnetic reactions with no active control, and the German Transrapid uses attractive reactions that need active controls. SCMAGLEV rides in a U-shaped channel, and the German Transrapid surrounds its T-shaped guideway.

Magnetic levitation technical drawing
Japan maglev

How Noisy?

SCMAGLEV is the quietest high-speed train ever built. Compared to High-Speed Rail, SCMAGLEV traveling at 186 mph is quieter than a Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) moving at only 55 mph and about as loud as an automobile moving at 55 mph.

How Safe?

Over a hundred and forty thousand passengers have ridden on the super-fast SCMAGLEV at the Yamanashi Maglev Test Line for a cumulative distance of over 545,000 miles. No fatalities or injuries…not even a dizzy spell!

New Jersey maglev rendering

New York to Washington and Maglev’s Green Power

Besides the advent of new technology, much has been written about maglev’s green capacity. A rail system based on magnetic power would minimize travel time, decrease automotive pollution, efficiently protect traveling vehicles, and minimize the “road rage”, which often characterizes the big city experience. There is even talk of solar-powered rails to come.