ONE BENEFIT of the $1.7 billion budget deficit in Maryland is that it has forced Gov. Bob Ehrlich to slash state budgets and eliminate wasteful and inefficient projects. The proposed Baltimore to Washington “magnetic levitation train” would be a good place to start. Maryland is currently competing with Pittsburgh for a $950 million federal grant to build the nation’s first MagLev train. A decision from the Federal Railroad Administration is expected in the fall. If chosen, cash-strapped Maryland will be expected to throw in $475 million for the construction costs, with the first bills due next year.
The prospect of MagLev is alluring for its novelty and its potential to closely link Baltimore and Washington. The 200-mph train would carry passengers from one city to the other in just 18 minutes, with one stop at the BWI Airport along the way. The trip sounds unbeatable. (Normally the commute takes about 75 minutes driving, 50 minutes on the commuter train, or 35 minutes on Amtrak.) But when you look at the details, MagLev becomes much less appealing.
