One of the things that this article claims is that the cost of a Maglev guideway would be $100 million per mile (ouch! electrified HSR corridors, at approximately $5 million per mile, sound like bargains by comparison).

A longer run such NYC to DC, which might make better use of the technology, would cost a whopping $22 billion. As much as Amtrak has swallowd up in 30 years, and more than the entire annual federal aviation budget.

Now for a real laugh. According to the article, the ultimate goal is to get a maglev train from Boston to Atlanta. At $100 million per mile that would cost $131 billion, which is about 1.7 times the annual highway budgets of the federal government AND all 50 states combined, just for one train!

Methinks certain transportation planners have their heads in the clouds.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

"The federal government would pay $950 million, local and state governments would pay $500 million, and the rest would come from bonds that would be paid back with fare revenue."

So at $18.75 million (public money) per mile (assuming 80 miles of 2-way structure) its not that unreasonable a cost for a test project. Total cost of the NHV-BOS electrification ONLY upgrade was $400 million for 242 miles.