Imagine floating out of New York City and across the countryside on a levitating train. Sounds like something from a dream, right?
Soon it may be a reality all across the region.
A Washington, D.C. based company called The Northeast Maglev (TNEM) is heading a project to bring a superconducting magnetically levitating 300 mph train line to life in the most congested part of the country, the Northeast.
And they're on their way with guidance from Maglev tech world leaders, Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central), as well as a $27.8 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.
The design is similar to Japan's world record-setting Tokyo-Osaka maglev (magnetic levitation) line that reaches 373 mph and would shoot from D.C. to NYC in one hour or less.
$27.8 million seems like a lot of money-- and it really is, but not when it comes to building floating trains across a quarter of the country.
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However, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has provided the U.S. with not only the maglev tech, but also funding for the first leg of construction from D.C. to Maryland.
Funding comes from Japan's overseas investment bank, or JBIC. Their strategy is that by investing in the D.C. to Maryland line, others will feel motivated to do the same in addition to the Federal grant and $40 million TNEM has raised.
The concept of a superconducting magnetically levitating train was conceived by American physicists before undergoing 50 years of research and development overseas in Japan, and now it's back to our shores, bringing us to the cutting edge of rail transport technology, speed, and even amenities.
TNEM outlines the basics of the SCMAGLEV (Superconducting Maglev) here, and also promising to cater to a "uniquely American audience, while offering a superior level of interior comfort, service, and style."
Check out the video below of where Maglev technology can go in the future, running sustainably on renewable energy and supporting-- rather than destroying --ecosystems the lines are built through.
Check out 6 Worst Subway Lines to Live Near in NYC.
[via Fortune]
[Feature Image Courtesy FastCompany]