Topeka, KS
Stop on the proposed 17,000-mile maglev network. Next stop: Olathe, KS (48.2 mi).
About Topeka
Topeka is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, within northeastern Kansas and the Central United States.
Source: Wikipedia summary (full article). Population and facts as published there.
Cost breakdown (proposal-scale estimates — see math)
| Item | Basis | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal construction | Mid-size terminal (parametric range $1-2B) | $1.5B |
| Land acquisition | Regional factor 1× on $200M base | $200M |
| Track: Topeka → Olathe | 48.2 mi × $500M/mi | $24.1B |
| Annual operations (share) | Staffing, power, maintenance | $30M/yr |
| Stop total (excl. annual ops) | $25.8B |
Best terminal location (proposed)
The downtown district around the Great Overland Station. Topeka's restored Great Overland Station already hosts Amtrak on the Kansas River, with the downtown core and state capitol a short walk south. The rail approaches along the river offer a natural guideway corridor, and the state-government workforce provides steady weekday ridership.
Before / after
Aerial mock-up (illustrative, not an engineering rendering). Left: the proposed site today. Right: with the maglev terminal.
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