I wrote a couple of years ago about a effort for a DC to Baltimore MagLev. Well, there is more progress happening; here’s an update:

DC to Baltimore MagLev

An environmental study is to be funded by the Federal Railroad Administration and conducted by the Maryland Transit Administration. The grant for the study–$27.8 million–was already awarded. But based on a WTOP article, the remainder of the $10-12 billion dollars for the project will be privately funded.

This past weekend, there was an event in DC sharing the various route options for the DC to Baltimore MagLev (you can see a short video, though it doesn’t really share much detail about the routes):

Saturday at Courtyard Marriott in NE, DC public checking out the 6 possible routes for MagLev train to run between DC and Baltimore. @WTOP pic.twitter.com/5GYzlw40mi

— Kathy Stewart (@KStewartWTOP) April 8, 2017

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You can see some of the route options and more information at the Baltimore Washington MagLev Project site, though to summarize, they are identifying 6 Alternatives leveraging the Amtrak Corridor, The Baltimore-Washington Parkway, or the Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis Corridor. Essentially most of the paths have a bit of an east “bulge” from the direct line between the two cities. The MagLev would also provide a faster linkage to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, which, with Metro’s woes lately, could make BWI the most easily and quickly accessed airport of the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) region!

Conclusion

The DMV is reeling from lots of rail issues of late, primarily centered around Metro. Between Metro’s expansion of the Silver Line to Dulles International Airport (IAD), to Metro’s SafeTrack initiative, which is attempting to right the wrongs of the past 30 years or so of deferred maintenance, DC riders are stuck. Having a better, faster, and reliable option to get out of the city, seems to me like a win for everyone. Needless to say, I’ve been following this, and will continue to follow the DC to Baltimore MagLev project. 

What do you think of the DC to Baltimore MagLev project? Are you in favor?

Rendering, via CNN