https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6040206
Rather than maintain a vacuum hundreds of miles wide, why not just ride along the vacuum that occurs along a very low frequency soundwave (low frequency enough that the wavelength is larger than the vehicle).
To visualize: http://profmattstrassler.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/wavegas...
Since this wave would be going the speed of sound, that could be what he meant by comparing it to a Concord.
And since a pressure wave isn't exactly like wind (it would just pass through the vehicle), there would need to be some kind of propulsion that could get the thing going fast and occasionally maintain speed (e.g. the railgun and PV solar part of his idea).
I can see many ways to work in the air-hockey portion from his hints which would avoid the cost of mag-lev.. but who knows exactly what approach he will take there...