RETHINKING AMERICA'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

RETHINKING AMERICA'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
by Col Roy D. Vinson, U.S. Army Retired
Asst. to the Head of the Apollo Moon Program, Rockwell International

As long as air planes fly, danger exists to all countries in the world.

No method on earth can be devised that can guarantee the elimination of the highly trained, intelligent and sophisticated criminal or terrorist from succeeding in taking a building down causing massive destruction, if he is determined. There will always be someone smart enough to accomplish that goal.

The fanatical fringe element is not only foreign but domestic as well. Recent events confirm that fact that disturbed individuals can cause destruction on a limited basis such as the Greyhound bus tragedy or a wide scale basis such as the Oklahoma bombing of the Federal building. We need to protect ourselves against foreign enemies. But, we also need to protect ourselves from enemies within. Prevention of future catastrophes cannot be totally eliminated, but by rethinking our mass transportation system, future tragedies can be greatly reduced.

As rapidly and as feasible financially, we must begin developing a high speed ground transportation system, for freight and people, operating possibly up to the speed of sound to take the place of commercial aircraft. Is this radical thinking? No it is not. It is a common sense evaluation of a very dangerous and ongoing problem for this nation.

Commercial and passenger aircraft should be confined to flying transatlantic and transpacific routes. Commercial airports should be located sufficiently far from the center of cities in remote unpopulated areas with very specific flight paths to prevent another incident such as September 11th from taking place again. Aircraft that would veer off the flight path would risk the possibility of being shot down.

After recent tragic events, it has become clear that a nationwide maglev system is what this country needs. Not only does it provide security that non-rail vehicles (like planes) do not, it could also serve as an efficient alternative transportation system.

While the nation debates how airport security can be enhanced while still maintaining transport efficiency, a national mag-lev system provides the answer.

First, there is total control of vehicle direction. A rail-based system like mag-lev precludes suicidal highjackings into targets such as buildings.

Second, there is total control of vehicle speed. Since mag-lev vehicles are "powered" by the track itself, there is no risk of runaway trains.

Finally, mag-lev speeds can exceed 600 miles an hour. Besides helping the U.S. become independent of foreign oil, such a system would serve this country well as an efficient and safe alternative to air travel.

A national mag-lev system would have eliminated the total shut down of the transportation of goods and services that took place on September 11th. Produce and merchandise would have continued to be transported interstate and intrastate via mag lev transportation with no loss of time or revenue.

Each day our nation is subject to the potential highjackings of passenger aircraft and private commercial aircraft that is used to transport goods and services cross county.

Congress would be wise to start rethinking America's mass transportation system when deciding how this country should spend the $20 billion recovery package.

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