Floating Super Train Could Ease Congestion In Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Federal officials are considering the concept of a high-speed floating train linking D.C. and Baltimore that could potentially ease congestion on Maryland's jam packed roads. The train would be modeled after one operating in Japan that barrels along at 311 miles per hour and make the trip take just 15 minutes.

The train planned for Baltimore to Washington, D.C., is called the SCMAGLEV, an advanced bullet train that uses superconducting magnets to levitate four inches above the ground and travel at record speeds. Proponents believe it would alleviate the stress on roadways and help with heavy traffic loads. But residents in Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties believe a proposed tunnel with trains hurtling forward would lead to structural damage of the homes above. The Northeast Maglev would take just one hour to travel between Washington, D.C., and New York City.

According to WUSA, federal authorities will decide whether or not to proceed with the high-speed train project within the next couple of months. However, hundreds of residents of Tokyo and surrounding regions have filed lawsuits fighting floating train construction. According to Northeast MAGLEV, the Maryland State Conference NAACP, Greater Baltimore Urban League and others endorse the high-speed rail project.

The Federal Railroad Administration and the Maryland Department of Transportation-Maryland Transit Administration have been working on an environmental impact statement to evaluate the potential impacts of constructing and operating a high-speed superconducting magnetic levitation system between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore with an intermediate stop at BWI Airport.