• What is maglev and how does it work?
• What are some operational features of high-speed maglev compared to high-speed rail?
• What are the differences between high-speed maglev and the low speed system?
• What is the Pennsylvania Project?
• What is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)?
• What is the environmentally preferred build alternative?
• How was the environmentally preferred build alternative selected?
• What impact will the project have on the environment, noise, energy usage, EMF, etc?
• How were ridership numbers determined?
• How much will this project cost?
• What will happen to my property if it will be needed to construct the project?
• Where will the stations be located?
• How long will it take to travel between stations?
• How much will it cost to ride the system? Will commuter parking be available?
• What is the passenger capacity of one vehicle?

Maglev is a type of transportation technology that utilizes electromagnetic force to propel vehicles on a guideway without the need for rails or wheels. Maglev is short for magnetic levitation. Maglev is one of the fastest modes of ground transportation in the world. The Transrapid maglev technology is being proposed for the Pennsylvania High-speed Maglev Project. The Transrapid technology was first developed and deployed in Germany more than 20 years ago. The technology continues to be tested in Lathen, Germany and to date more than 650,000 miles of test operations have already been completed.

The Transrapid maglev system is also installed in Shanghai China and is in revenue service. This 19 mile Transrapid maglev system carries passengers from the Pudong International Airport to Long Yang Road Station in the financial district of Downtown Shanghai at speeds in excess of 265 miles per hour. This trip takes approximately eight minutes.

The Transrapid maglev vehicles ride over a fixed guideway and are supported, guided and propelled using conventional electromagnetic force. The Transrapid technology does not use super conductors, (materials that conduct electricity without resistance at very low temperatures), nor does it require cryogenic cooling (super cooling of materials by the rapid evaporation of volatile liquids or by the expansion of high pressure gases at low pressures). The vehicle has no physical contact with the guideway therefore there is no mechanical wear of the guideway. Since the propulsion system is located underneath the guideway, maglev can operate in all types of weather. The vehicle can move at speeds in excess of 310 mph (500 km/h) and can climb grades of up to 10 percent, which is three times greater than conventional steel wheel rail technology.

Some of maglev's key operational features include:

• The ability of maglev vehicles to climb steep grades and operate on an elevated fixed guideway.
• The speed of a maglev vehicle is based on the frequency of the electromagnetic fields in the guideway. The Transrapid vehicle is designed for speeds in excess of 300 mph (482 km/h) and has been tested at speeds of 311 mph (500 km/h). By comparison, the maximum practical speed of a high-speed rail system is about 185 mph and the average operating speeds is about 150 mph.
• The vehicle utilizes the electromagnetic field in the guideway to propel and guide it.
• The guideway provides a dedicated right-of-away for the vehicle eliminating the possibility of collision with other vehicles.
• The elevated maglev guideway system utilizes 85% less land per meter of travel when compared to a high-speed rail system.

High-speed maglev was developed in Germany and has gone through more than 20 years of testing and operations. It has also been evaluated by the U.S. Department of Transportation and has been found ready for implementation in the United States. The vehicle can move at speeds in excess of 310 mph (500 km/h) and can climb grades of up to10 percent.

Low speed maglev, has similar mechanical and operational characteristics of high speed maglev, however low-speed maglev only reaches a maximum of 35 - 50 miles per hour. The low-speed maglev technology is being explored for implementation at California University of Pennsylvania and implemented at Old Dominion University in Virginia.

The Pennsylvania High-Speed Maglev project is an approximately 54-mile maglev line connecting Pittsburgh International Airport, Downtown Pittsburgh and Monroeville and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, with multi-modal stations at these locations. The entire trip, from the Airport to Greensburg, would take approximately 35 minutes including stops.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) identifies the environmental preferred build alternative for the Pennsylvania Project. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has authorized its publication after numerous alignments were studied and evaluated and significant feedback was obtained from the public, community leaders, elected officials and a variety of agencies regarding the proposed project.

Prior to identifying the environmentally preferred build alternative, several different alternative alignments within the corridor were studied using criteria that examined each alignment's potential social, economic, environmental and transportation impacts as well as federal requirements for high-speed maglev technology. The environmentally preferred build alternative was also compared with a no-build alternative, which took into account the region’s adopted long-range transportation plan without a high-speed maglev system.

This environmental analysis, documented in the DEIS, is now available for public review and comment, and includes study outcomes related to noise, air quality, electromagnetic fields, public input, cultural and natural resources, ridership assessments and revenue estimates, among other study aspects.

As a result of comments received from the public, local community groups and suggestions presented by elected officials, the project team conducted in-depth environmental reviews of several alignments and has identified the A5 South, B4 West and C6 alignments as the environmentally preferred build alternative in the DEIS.

If the PA Project is authorized to move forward into the next phase of development, the environmentally preferred build alternative will undergo additional study, detailed analysis and further refinement.

The 54-mile corridor was divided into three sections - Pittsburgh International Airport to Downtown Pittsburgh (Section A), Downtown Pittsburgh to Monroeville (Section B), and Monroeville to Greensburg (Section C). Each section was evaluated for impacts to natural resources, social and cultural features, as well as engineering feasibility, operational characteristics and compliance with high-speed maglev regulations. The environmentally preferred build alternative is shown on the map in green along with the proposed stations.

Click here to view the alignments by locations within each segment.

Each alignment under consideration for the Pennsylvania High-speed Maglev underwent extensive analysis through identified screening criteria as part of the public process of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The public also played a vital role in finalizing the most environmentally feasible alignment for the project. The EIS documents each alignment’s natural and historic resources, as well as the impact on endangered species and wetlands. It also takes into consideration the location of parks, wildlife, historical and archaeological sites of national, state or local significance, agricultural land, as well as homes and businesses. Analysis of noise levels, air quality and energy consumption will also be identified. The DEIS identifies the environmentally preferred build alternative.

Specific information related to the environmental impacts of the PA Project can be found in the DEIS. The PA Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is an environmental analysis of noise, air quality, electromagnetic fields, public input, cultural and natural resources, ridership assessments and revenue estimates, among other study aspects.

Measurements of the vibration, noise and electrical field emission were conducted at the test facility in Germany in August 2001, as part of the Environmental Impact Statement process. These results were developed into a report that was issued by the FRA for use in the environmental process. This information is available on the FRA website at: www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/215

Two studies were conducted to estimate the ridership of the proposed high-speed maglev system. A national panel of experts recommended by the Federal Railroad Administration reviewed these ridership surveys. The final ridership numbers will continue to be refined based on recommendations from the panel.

The resulting ridership estimates for the full system are 47,400 one way passenger trips per day in 2014 and 54,900 one way passenger trips per day in 2026.

The cost of constructing the system has been estimated to be $3.7 billion (in 2003 dollars), including all capital costs and associated roadway improvements. A financing plan of public and private funding has been proposed. The financing plan includes revenue bonds, and federal, state and local grants. Annual fare-based revenues are estimated to generate approximately $88.5 million when the entire 54-mile maglev system is in operation, assuming a fare of $5.00 between stations. Annual operating and maintenance costs have been estimated to be $37.33 million.

Two laws govern acquisitions for State or federally assisted projects. Both the Pennsylvania Uniform Eminent Domain Code 1964, P.L. 84 as amended and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended. (42 U.S.C. 4601) are laws enacted to ensure that persons displaced as a direct result of State, Federal or Federally assisted projects are treated fairly and equitably so that such persons will not suffer disproportionate injuries as a result of projects designed for the benefit of the public as a whole. (49CFR Subtitle A 24.1(6))

The Port Authority of Allegheny County and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are conducting the Environmental Impact Statement. The Federal Railroad Administration is the federal agency overseeing the project’s development. The Agency that will acquire the property will be determined once the Pennsylvania High-speed Maglev Project is selected for construction.

Property owners would receive fair market value for any property, including land or buildings, which is required for the Pennsylvania High-speed Maglev Project. To determine the fair market value, a qualified appraiser will evaluate the property, using the best information available. The appraiser considers recent property sales in the neighborhood and community, as well as building costs and land values.

During the on-site appraisal, property owners may want to accompany the appraiser to point out any unusual features on the property or to provide information that they think may help determine its value. Once the appraisal is complete and approved through an independent review process, negotiations are ready to begin. Negotiations are a crucial stage in the acquisition process. Successful communication is essential. An Agency representative will visit the property owner to explain the project and the amount of property required. The Agency representative will tell the owner the amount of the appraisal and discuss how the value was calculated. If there are any questions about what is being acquired, how much compensation is offered or how the construction will affect the remainder of the property, they can be addressed to the negotiator. Owners will have time to consider the offer, and the negotiator will contact the owner again to discuss the offer and answer any questions.

The following Web sites offer additional information about the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (Uniform Act) of 1970:
www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/ua/index.htm or www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/realprop/index.html
The information on these Web sites explains property owners' rights and offers detailed information in regards to federally-funded programs or projects.

The project would connect Pittsburgh International Airport to Downtown Pittsburgh, Monroeville and Greensburg and would include five station locations. The station locations include: Two stations at the airport area (One at the Landside Terminal and one at Enlow Road (Route 60) that includes a separate station for commuters as well as air travelers); the Steel Plaza station located in downtown Pittsburgh; the Thompson Run site in Penn Hills near Monroeville; and a station at Toll 66 and PA Route 136 near Greensburg. Stations would be accessible to people with disabilities, feature adjacent parking areas and have convenient connections to other modes of transportation.

High-speed is one of the many benefits of maglev. The proposed maglev system would operate between the Pittsburgh International Airport and Greensburg, with intermediate stops in Downtown Pittsburgh and Penn Hills / Monroeville. Travel time from the airport to Downtown would be approximately 11minutes. Travel from Downtown Pittsburgh to Monroeville would be approximately 11 minutes. Finally, travel from Monroeville to Greensburg would be approximately 10 minutes. A trip along the entire proposed 54-mile system would take approximately 35 minutes.

• A trip from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg would take approximately one hour and 30 minutes;
• A trip from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia would take less than two hours; and
• A trip from the Pittsburgh Airport to Wheeling would take approximately 20-25 minutes

Details of the costs for riding the system have not been finalized; however the project currently estimates that traveling between each station of the maglev system could cost $5.00. Parking facilities and a variety of other passenger amenities are being considered and will be identified in detail as these plans are finalized. Parking facilities will be developed to facilitate efficient passenger connections and transfers from automobiles and other modes of transportation to the maglev system.

Each Transrapid vehicle section will accommodate approximately 140 people. The Pennsylvania Project proposes to begin operation with three section vehicles which would carry more than 400 passengers. Stations will be constructed to accommodate up to a five section vehicle, so there is the potential to accommodate additional passengers and vehicles when warranted.