Maglev Monitor
Saturday Evening Repost (2025-07-05) Miscellaneous & Various Items
Interesting and background stories. All these less-important stories are in two semi-weekly e-mails, so each of you is not bothered by a lot of e-mails, and you can select which you want to read, and which you choose to ignore. This "MagLev Monitor" is issued late Saturday as this Saturday Evening Repost (SER), and also Wednesday morning as the Midweek Morning MagLev Messenger (4M).
This newsletter covers Superconducting MagLev, and more. It also covers competing technologies, such as EVs, hydrogen, and aviation, plus related technologies. We won't forget the past, covering classic railways, and what lessons they can give us. And, of course, the Jigsaw Puzzles, for fun.
My website: http://www.LeviCar.com/
Maglev2000 website: https://www.maglev2000.net/
The $4 billion rail project: Glory train? Or trip to nowhere?
The $4 billion rail project: Glory train? Or trip to nowhere?
Caption: “When it comes to Santa Cruz County’s hotly debated proposed passenger rail system, known officially as ZEPRT, the one resource in short supply is certainty. Almost everything about the project — how much it will ultimately cost, when it will be operational, whether it even happens — is a guess. Except one thing. This is certain: Mike Rotkin will never get to ride it. Rotkin, the longtime ...” (lookout.co)
This article includes a discussion of the impact of frequency on the usefulness of any transit project. Please read this article if you want to use P/D MagLev for transit.
There is a useful book cited in the article. See: https://bookshopsantacruz.com/book/9781642833058
Catskill Mountain Railroad equipment damaged; tourist line calls act ‘sabotage’ (updated)
Railroad blames incident on dispute over use of county-owned right-of-way
Catskill Mountain Railroad equipment damaged; tourist line calls act ‘sabotage’ (updated) - Trains
Caption: “KINGSTON, N.Y. — Two pieces of maintenance-of-way equipment for the Catskill Mountain Railroad were damaged in a June 19 incident, the railroad reported this week — an incident the tourist line, embroiled in a disagreement over rail vs. trail use of county-owned right-of-way, is characterizing as “sabotage.” Damage to the equipment includes cutting of electrical wiring and fuel lines ...” (www.trains.com)
This brings up the question of whether these abandoned rail lines should be converted permanently to multi-use (walking+bicycling) trails for people to get exercise and enjoy nature, or should be "railbanked", so that, should the need arise, the railroad can reclaim the right-of-way and use it for railroading. These are two worthy causes, sometimes in conflict. I used Google AI to research this. For more information, see Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (https://www.railstotrails.org/). There is absolutely no evidence they were involved in the vandalism, and, given their principles, it would be highly unlikely anyway.
Rails to Trails Conservancy: Building A Nation Connected By Trails
Caption: “Our Impact Since 1986, Rails to Trails Conservancy supported the creation of tens of thousands of miles of rail-trails and multiuse trails nationwide by building and championing infrastructure, advocating for public funding for trails and active transportation, and inspiring more people to make trails part of their everyday lives. Here’s a snapshot of our impact.” (www.railstotrails.org)
Since P/D MagLev would mostly use elevated guideways, there would be no conflict.
Rail unions warn DOT rule change could jeopardize train safety
Rail unions warn DOT rule change could jeopardize train safety
Caption: “WASHINGTON — Rail unions are raising concerns about the Trump administration’s plan to roll back protections for federal inspectors and investigators put in place in 2021 that they say could increase safety risks in the rail industry. In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in May, the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed several changes to Biden-era ...” (www.trains.com)
IMHO — We want to believe that P/D MagLev is inherently safe, but it is really only inherently safer, and we still need to have an environment where safety inspectors can do their job. It is inherently safer because there are fewer things that can go wrong, but it is not perfect.
Amtrak's long-awaited Gulf Coast service to begin Aug. 18
Amtrak's long-awaited Gulf Coast service to begin Aug. 18
Caption: “Railroad industry news about: Amtrak, Gulf Coast, Amtrak Mardi Gras, intercity passenger rail, Roger Harris, Hurricane Katrina, Joe Hinrichs, CSX. From the editors of Progressive Railroading Magazine” (www.progressiverailroading.com)
It seems that nothing can get done with Amtrak without the help of governments — Federal, State, and Local.
Innovative company unveils futuristic train that could reshape rail travel: 'A great achievement'
This shift could have a huge impact.
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/sitav-hydrogen-powered-train-italy/
Innovative company unveils futuristic train that could reshape rail travel: 'A great achievement' (www.thecooldown.com)
It runs on hydrogen.
This bears a superficial resemblance to the "Crocodile" locomotives mentioned in Midweek Morning MagLev Messenger (2025-04-23), but the latter is an articulated locomotive designed for twisty mountainous railroads with a lot of tight curves.
A somewhat humorous juxtaposition, or mixed metaphor if you will, is the quote: "the industry is moving full steam ahead toward clean energy."
UK's Long-Delayed High-Speed Rail Makes Breakthrough
https://www.newsweek.com/hs2-uk-high-speed-rail-update-2092372
High-speed rail plans inch forward in the Pacific Northwest
https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/06/30/cascadia-high-speed-rail-update
High-speed rail plans inch forward for Seattle-Portland-Vancouver lines - Axios
Caption: “Washington's Legislature also budgeted $7.5 million in matching funds in April — part of a larger pledge to spend up to $150 million in state money on the project over the next several years. Oregon and British Columbia contributed funding for earlier high-speed rail studies, plus signed a memorandum of agreement in 2021 pledging to help advance the project.” (www.axios.com)
The P/D MagLev team had submitted a proposal for this.
Amtrak Passengers Are Desperate For This New Route To Be A Reality
https://www.thetravel.com/proposed-new-amtrak-route-amtrak-spartan/
Amtrak Passengers Are Desperate For This New Route To Be A Reality - TheTravel
Caption: “The idea behind the "Amtrak Spartan" route, proposed by a Reddit user, builds upon the existing 30-hour Crescent route, which runs between New York and New Orleans. According to Redditor ColonialCobalt, the new route would use Airo trainsets, which can reach up to 125 miles per hour on dedicated tracks. The actual speed would peak at a more realistic 90 miles per hour on this improved route ...” (www.thetravel.com)
Also has a section on the HSR Corridor Identification & Development Program.
Amtrak's Newest Route Has Smashed Expectations In Its First Year Despite A Rusty Spring
https://www.thetravel.com/amtrak-newest-route-amtrak-borealis-first-year/
Amtrak's Newest Route Has Smashed Expectations In Its First Year Despite A Rusty Spring - TheTravel
Caption: “On March 26, 2025, 70 passenger cars (61 coaches and 9 café cars) were removed from Amtrak's service due to corrosion discovered on the jack pads during a routine inspection. Only the non-Horizon #503 and #508 trains traveling between Seattle and Eugene remained in the daily service of Amtrak Cascades. The Borealis Trains #1340 and #1330 were replaced with a bus service, leading to refunds ...” (www.thetravel.com)
San Francisco Bay Area Readies for California High-Speed Rail
https://railway-news.com/san-francisco-bay-area-readies-for-california-high-speed-rail/
San Francisco Bay Area Readies for California High-Speed Rail
Caption: “Millbrae Station currently serves Caltrain and BART trains, with services operating to SFO Airport. In the future, it will also serve as a high-speed rail station. Two dedicated high-speed rail tracks and a high-speed rail platform will be built to accommodate the service. San Francisco Station will serve as the northern terminus of the system. It will be located at the Salesforce Transit ...” (railway-news.com)
This website offers a weekly newsletter.
New parents share candid thoughts after traveling on high-speed bullet train: 'People made me feel like this journey was going to be so hard'
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/parents-share-candid-thoughts-traveling-114532630.html
Caption: “Another parent took heart.A couple with a newborn was pleasantly surprised by the experience of using Japan's high-speed rail. The short video posted to TikTok detailed the young family's journey ...” (www.yahoo.com)
The West Coast's Most Beautiful Amtrak Station Is Also Its Most Underrated
https://www.thetravel.com/west-coasts-most-beautiful-amtrak-station-also-most-underrated/
The West Coast's Most Beautiful Amtrak Station Is Also Its Most Underrated - TheTravel
Caption: “The station’s crown jewel is its 245-foot red brick clock tower, featuring an arched belfry and clock faces on all four sides, modeled after St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice. Installed in 1906, its four glowing clock faces once kept time for a city on the rise and were wound by hand for decades. Even today, the tower stands as one of Seattle’s most recognizable silhouettes. At its peak ...” (www.thetravel.com)
Mercedes Unveils Concept AMG GT XX With Trio of Axial-Flux Motors & 1,341 HP
Mercedes' latest concept car showcases axial-flux motors, advanced battery tech, and ultra-fast charging, hinting at future high-performance EVs.
https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/mercedes-concept-amg-gt-xx
Mercedes Unveils Concept AMG GT XX With Trio of Axial-Flux Motors & 1,341 HP
(www.designnews.com)
Axial-flux motors were previously discussed in Maglev Monitor: Midweek Morning MagLev Messenger (2025-06-18). See: https://www.designnews.com/automotive-engineering/axial-flux-motors-the-next-big-thing-in-ev-propulsion-high-performance-hybrids
What Leaders Can Learn From Southwest Airlines’ Slow Fade From Greatness to Sameness
By nurturing your unique culture, valuing your people, and resisting sameness, you’ll achieve lasting success.
Sameness VS Uniqueness: How Leaders Can Resist Copycating
Caption: “What Leaders Can Learn From Southwest Airlines’ Slow Fade From Greatness to Sameness By nurturing your unique culture, valuing your people, and resisting sameness, you’ll achieve lasting success.” (www.inc.com)
P/D MagLev is definitely not the same as anything else!
King Street Station, Seattle
https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=0c0cdc8acbc0
(For the jigsaw puzzle, you can adjust the number of pieces using the "Play as" option at the top right. There is a pause button to the right of the time indicator at the bottom center.)
I hope you like my tributes to conventional rail, especially since my overall aim is to relegate conventional rail to museums.
– Joshua Zev Levin, Ph.D.
Dr. Levin,
Thank you for posting your expert interest in transportation. Your Substack posts are an important source of news on the evolution of transportation technology, and it is useful source for me in the work that I do in trying to bring public, investor and policymaker attention to the remarkable superconducting magnetic levitation technology, first invented by my colleagues, the late Drs. James Powell and Gordon Danby of Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island.
Even though their most advanced transport is probably the most energy efficient, zero emissions transport system yet invented. It is a challenge to attract policymaker and investor support for demonstrating this system and also invite public attention to what could be a new, very competitive, transport system to complement, evolve, and enhance our existing rail, highway, and airway networks and compete for a share of the global transport market.
The Powell and Danby legacy group proposes to advance the idea of using the rights-of-way of our existing and extensive national highway system to build a bi-directional elevated guideway viaduct for ultra-high speed, (325 mph avg speed) truck, van, and freight container logistics system that will support the increasing material and food needs of the U.S. and the global market. We believe the energy efficiency of this system can provide overnight logistics service for half the cost of highway trucking and can benefit both the truckers, and business and private consumers by substantial savings on the cost of goods and food. I have a background in military logistics and see this as a major improvement in our national defense and emergency response capability in homeland defense. Of course, this network would reduce the number of trucks on the congested highways in and around our densely populated metro regions.
Ultimately, we envision connecting distribution terminals throughout the country that will receive loaded, very steerable loaded vans that can be picked up by local drivers in the morning for carrying out their local deliveries. We believe this will make our streets and roads safer and less congested and make life better for truckers.
Our proposed national high speed elevated mainline could also be used for non-stop passenger service because it uniquely (patented by Powell and Danby) can electronically switch to maglev adapted conventional rail to access existing metro rail stations and the new stations proposed for high-speed rail. Of course, the Maglev transport operating in its patented planar mode will operate at slower speeds as it moves through densely built areas to our rail stations.
We are aware that many High Speed Rail projects based on European rail are underway and are the hopes of many of our state and city authorities, but we believe that if we can test and demonstrate the cost effective, low maintenance, very energy efficient transport system, it will be a strong competitor for the U.S. and global market. Powell and Danby's first generation system has been proven by Japan and we believe the most advanced magnet geometry that they developed is even more capable, versatile, and more cost effective. James Jordan, President, Interstate Maglev Project and Executive VP of Maglev2000.