Maglev train idea for Northeast resurfaces

[happyslug]

13. When this was proposed for Baltimore, it was suggested for Pittsburgh

And in both locations it was for a local route. A Boston to NYC to Philadelphia to DC to Pittsburgh, to Cleveland then Chicago Route would be a variable route. No stops in between, speeds topping 600 mph. NYC to Chicago in under a two hours. Doable by MAGLEV. The reason is the MAGLEV would make no stop in the Appalachians mountains and minimal stops on both sides of those mountains.

It is 299 miles between DC and Pittsburgh
Another 139 miles between Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
340 between Cleveland and Chicago,

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/257/799/Capitol-Limited-Schedule-071513.pdf

From Boston to NYC 231,
191 from NYC to Philadelphia
135 Philadelphia to DC.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express

Sorry, the above would be the most profitable route, 457 between Boston and DC, 780 miles between DC and Chicago. Total 1337 miles at 600 miles per hour under 3 hours. NYC to Chicago in under two hours. At these distances, MAGLEV appears variable (Through, would it be more cost effective to just leaving airlines do the same distances? Every time I look at MAGLEV in the routes where it beats out Steel Rail, it loses to Airplanes, I like MAGLEV but can not determine a place where I would prefer it to Steel Rail or Air Travel).

I bring this up for it is the problem with MAGLEV. It is inferior in terms of cost and speed to Steel Wheels on Steel rails at distances under 500 miles, AND inferior to air plane travel when it comes to costs and speed at distances over 500 miles. Where MAGLEV beats Steel rails, it loses to planes. Where MAGLEV beats out planes, it is in turn beat out by Steel Rail.

Maglev is not new technology, the first relevant patent was in 1905, and technologically could have been built in the 1930s. The reason it has NOT been built is where it is good, other older more tested and reliable systems exist. It is the classic solution looking for a problem to solve. MAGLEV sounds high tech so every 10-20 years it comes back, then loses out for the same reason no one did much with it after 1905, other system exists that work as while or better.