Pittsburgh Maglev, Dead or Alive?

[SpringfieldMonorail]

I'm surprised no one has posted on here for almost two months, since just a couple weeks ago the President announced "the most sweeping investment in our infrastructure since President Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System in the 1950s." When I heard about it, I immediately thought of the Maglev. They're starting to look for projects that already have a lot of the design and environmental planning out of the way, that can start as soon as possible.

Some excerpts from an article about the announcement:

"Initially, regional transportation offices will compete for the $8 billion included in the $787 billion economic stimulus spending package for high-speed rail, bolstered by $1 billion a year for five years requested in the federal budget.
The $8 billion is part of $64 billion in the stimulus package for roads, bridges, rail and transit.
The only U.S. rail service that meets the Federal Railroad Administration's 110 mph threshold to qualify as high-speed rail is Amtrak's 9-year-old Acela Express route connecting Boston to Washington, D.C."

I know nothing about projects in other areas, but this one would seem to make sense, considering the amount of jobs it would create, and the potential to keep some of us youngsters from moving the **** out of this UPMC-owned (myself included) ****-hole.

[JoeLeaphorn]

There are numerous practical problems with Maglev which, I think, precludes any meaningful development.

First, Maglev would need separate tracks and rights of way. High speed rail (HSR) does not and can work on existing tracks/grades with some modifications.

Second, HSR provides benefit to the existing freight railroads, as well, since track improvements required for HSR passenger rail would also improve freight rail. The freight railroads have endorsed HSR and would probably be less enthusiastic about Maglev.

Third, as a demonstration project, Baltimore to DC and Vegas to LA have advantages over Pittsburgh to Greensburg. The terrain is more favorable with the other projects, the density of the populate served is greater and, realistically, the fact that Pittsburgh and the airport have declined in economic significance doesn't help. Baltimore to DC and Vegas to LA would replace congested air and automobile corridors. Last that I looked, there wasn't a throng of people travelling between Greensburg and Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.

Honestly, I don't see it happening, here, and I would sure hate to see the money diverted from more important improvements to rail service to Chicago, Harrisburg and DC.