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This web site page explains Maglev about as well as any: [url[http://o-keating.com/hsr/maglev.htm[.url] Here's the story: [url]http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm..._maglev_train_3[.url] Shanghai Debuts Futuristic Rail System Excerpt: Shanghai hopes the line will burnish its image as a global business and technology center. The train is supposed to start carrying regular passengers sometime late next year, but a date has not been announced. China's central Ministry of Railways will be weighing Shanghai's experience carefully as it moves forward with plans for a 800-mile high-speed link between Shanghai and the capital, Beijing. A maglev train could make the trip in three hours, fast enough to compete with air travel. But the ministry is reportedly balking at the estimated $25 billion price tag, favoring cheaper systems like a homegrown version of Japan's "bullet train," according to state-run media reports. $25 billion over 800 miles is around $31.25 million per mile. How does that compare with other transportation options? According to the Texas Department of Transportation. Convential railroad (80 mph) per track = $1,839,250 per mile. High speed railroad (200 mph) (double tracks)= $5 million per mile. 4 lane truck capable controlled access highway (payment only) = $3,105,000 per mile. 6 lane car only controlled access highway (payment only) = 1,093,000 per mile. Average Right of Way per acre = $20,000 to $65,000 300 foot corridor will require 37 acres of right of way per mile = $740,000 to $2,405,000 per mile (4 or 6 lane Highways) 75 foot corridor will require 10 acres of right of way per mile = $200,000 to $650,000 per mile (Double Track High Speed Rail) 38 foot corridor will require 5 acres of right of way per mile = $100,000 to $325,000 per mile (single track of convential rail) Adding right of way costs to track and payment costs: Double track high speed rail = $5.2 to 5.65 million per mile 6 Lane car only controlled access highway = $1.8 to 3.5 million per mile 4 Lane truck capable controlled access highway = 3.8 to 5.5 million per mile. Then you additional overpass and interchange costs to highways. Overpasses, bridges over water, and interchanges costs are added upon these basic construction costs. Corridor Interchange cost per interchange: Double-diamond = $10,143,000 (Corridor crossing local roads) Major hwy. fully directional = $79,233,000 (Corridor crossing Interstate) Corridor “Y” = $1,622,880,000 (Corridor Joining 3-way) Corridor fully directional = $1,267,728,000 (Corridor Crossing 4-way) That's the cost of each interchange, assuming one interchange every 5 miles or so. Those are significant added costs for corridor highways. Remember, the costs associated with each I list below assume a 1200 foot long bridge over the highway, or the full corridor over the obstacle. Grade crossing for the Corridor without Interchanges: Railroad = $11,200,000 Farm to market = $3,480,750 State/US hwy. (2-lane) = $4,709,250 Paved county road = $2,661,750 River = $68,970,000 Stream = $34,485,000 Small creek = $1,301,250 The entire planned corridor will average one of these per mile. As you can see, the actual costs for highways I listed earlier contained only the right of ways, payments, and grading costs. Add to those obstacle grade seperations and interchanges, the cost for interstate controlled access highways is easily twice what I listed above. DART's initial starter system of 22 miles of light rail lines, which included a long tunnel, a new bridge over the Trinity River, and a pedestrian mall along Pacific and Bryan Streets downtown averaged $20 million per mile. After the recent expansion, increasing its light rail lines to 41 miles, DART's average price has been reduced to $16 million per mile. All of this in an urban setting. Conclusion: High speed rail is much cheaper than building new 4 lane interstates. Maglev systems are more expensive than electrified high speed rail. Maglev systems appears to be faster: 260 mph compared to high speed electrified trains of 186 mph.
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