Maglev

Annapolis--Don't blink.A Buck Rogers high-speed railroad that could carry commuters from Washington to Baltimore in less than 15 minutes may be on the way. It will be so clean and quiet that at speeds of more than 300 mph, a momentary lapse in attention means you might miss the train. So don't blink.This is the dream of a consortium of public and private organizations, more than half from Maryland, that is lobbying Congress and Maryland's General Assembly to finance construction of a prototype magnetic levitation, or maglev, line from Baltimore to Washington.

The ultra-high-speed "maglev" train is an idea whose time hasn't quite come. But it could -- soon enough to justify serious evaluation of its promise.Prototypes of magnetic levitation trains, which "float" over tracks without the braking effect of friction, have been tested for decades. Several commercial systems are in the works. But maglev is still experimental, with no agreement on rival technologies, much less its economic feasibility.Maryland and other states are competing for a proposed $1.3 billion project to develop a U.S. system that would propel trains at 300 miles an hour.

1.3 million travelers provide airport with a February record More than 1.3 million people traveled through Baltimore-Washington International Airport in February, the highest total ever recorded for that month at BWI. Domestic traffic grew 19.7 percent over February 1999 figures, and international traffic increased by 7.4 percent. Frontier Airlines added a second daily flight to Denver in mid-February and posted the largest increase, at 49.3 percent. America West climbed by 48.8 percent and BWI's largest carrier, Southwest, grew by 41.3 percent.

"I think I can, I think I can!" If Baltimore will just keep saying that, it may even come true. A train that could zip between Baltimore and Washington in 15 minutes is still just a gleam in Mayor Schmoke's eye, but the idea moved a step closer to reality this week when he appointed a committee to raise $500,000 to study the feasibility of a magnetic levitation line for Baltimore.The money would be used to match a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Several states are competing for those funds as well as for money to build a 30 to 40 mile prototype maglev line, estimated to cost up to $1 billion.

Maglev fans ought to have it by their homes Interesting how citizens not directly affected by the proposed Maglev route seem so well-versed in its pollution-saving and property-value-increasing benefits. Yet, residents of communities near Baltimore and Pittsburgh on the Maglev drawing boards are vehemently opposed to the high-speed train. An obvious solution clearly presents itself. Begin the Maglev in Severna Park, with stops in Annapolis, Bethesda, Potomac and Washington, D.C. People living in these areas could easily afford the $50 daily commuter fees and seem so keenly aware of the Maglev benefits that it would be shame for us to deprive them of their new toy. Rob McCracken Linthicum Bus driver's lawyer says her prayers were OK I am the attorney for Stella Tsourakis, the school bus driver ultimately dismissed [after]

BALTIMORE'S LOCATION and early embrace of railroads made it an important city long before the dawn of the 20th century. Maryland now has two once-in-a-generation transportation opportunities that could propel the city and region into the future, potentially bringing an economic transformation along the way. Unfortunately, over the next year or so, both long-term investments will be simultaneously seeking huge state financial commitments. The first opportunity involves the bid to include funds for the Baltimore Regional Rail Plan in the federal transportation reauthorization bill next fall.

Maglev's Benefits for BaltimoreIn his Nov. 6 letter, Kenneth Sands wrote regarding the $900,000 contract to study the feasibility of maglev in Maryland. With all the high technology companies located in our area, we are in a unique position to play a major role in the development of maglev.But Mr. Sands has also raised some valid concerns about maglev which I would like to address.This study we are about to undertake is to evaluate the best route for a maglev to link Washington and Baltimore and to assess various transportation integration issues.

Any popcorn with that? Baltimore State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy could be local producer Rodney Bethea's No. 1 promoter. She passed out more than two dozen copies of his now-infamous DVD Stop Snitching to legislators Wednesday in Annapolis. The DVD, which features Baltimore native and rising NBA star Carmelo Anthony and drug-smoking criminals who urge the killing of crime witnesses, is a colorful and profanity-laden testimonial for witness-intimidation legislation that Jessamy and Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. are pushing to get passed this year.

Baltimore aspires to become the testing ground for a futuristic magnetic levitation train that whooshes along at 300 mph on a magnetic field. Already in use in Germany and Japan, the system is essentially a levitated train that rides on air. Several cities are vying for the federal government's prototype. Aside from the jobs such a massive public works project could bring, the project is seen as a boon for economic development, tourism and mass transit. The idea would seem to have the name "William Donald Schaefer" written all over it.Yet the governor has been uncharacteristically lukewarm to the concept.

Environmental effects of Maglev transport planned for discussion A public meeting on the environmental impacts of the proposed Maglev system - advanced transportation technology that could speed travel between Baltimore, Washington and New York - will take place Aug. 1 at Baltimore City Hall. An open house will begin in the Curran Room at 4:30 p.m., followed by presentations at 6 p.m. Maglev is a system in which vehicles are lifted and propelled on guideways at speeds up to 240 mph, enabling travel between Baltimore and Washington in less than 20 minutes and between Baltimore and New York in less than 1 1/2 hours.