Baltimore-D.C. Maglev Venture Gets $28M Federal Grant

The federal government has awarded nearly $28 million in seed money to a private venture that seeks to build a high-speed magnetic-levitation train between Washington and Baltimore.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the grant on Saturday. Maryland officials applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the funds on behalf of the private venture, Baltimore-Washington Rapid Rail.

The money will go toward planning and engineering analysis for the high-speed rail line, which could carry passengers from Washington to Baltimore in as little as 15 minutes.

Maglev trains use magnetic technology that allows them to hover above tracks, reaching speeds of more than 300 miles per hour.

Hogan, a Republican, rode a maglev train during a visit to Japan earlier this year and has become a major booster of the project.