A Port Angeles inventor unveiled his space-age transportation system to the public by floating a bright red Corvette on an invisible magnetic field in Olympia on Wednesday.
Karl “Jerry” Lamb’s magnetic-levitation, or mag-lev, system called LEVX caught the attention of many lawmakers, including Gov. Gary Locke.
“This is incredible,” Locke said after running his fingers through the 1.75-inch gap separating a platform supporting the Corvette and the magnetic rail system beneath it.
The system uses brick-sized magnets and no electricity.
“This is very impressive,” Locke said. “Jerry, this is absolutely fabulous.”
Locke gave the Corvette-laden platform a nudge with one hand.
It glided effortlessly down a 40-foot demonstration track.
“The weight that I was just pushing?” asked Locke.
“It’s 2,000 pounds,” Lamb responded.
