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The Hyperloop, futuristic 800 mph transportation
#1
Frank
Frank
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-12/revealed-elon-musk-explains-the-hyperloop
http://images.bwbx.io/cms/2013-08-12/0812_Hyperloop_605.jpg[/img]
No wonder RDJ and Jon Favreau based the mannerisms of the big screen Tony Stark on Elon Musk.
What it is is a pneumatic tube that can propel passengers at 800 mph between cities. The idea which is to have the structure for it built over interstate roads in order to avoid any sort of potential issues with land owners. The initial plan Musk has come up with has it between LA and San Fran where the trip could be done in 30 minutes and cheaper than flying.
It all comes from his distaste for the 70 billion dollar high speed train thing in Cali that's set to begin next year which he calls too slow and too expensive.
No wonder RDJ and Jon Favreau based the mannerisms of the big screen Tony Stark on Elon Musk.
What it is is a pneumatic tube that can propel passengers at 800 mph between cities. The idea which is to have the structure for it built over interstate roads in order to avoid any sort of potential issues with land owners. The initial plan Musk has come up with has it between LA and San Fran where the trip could be done in 30 minutes and cheaper than flying.
It all comes from his distaste for the 70 billion dollar high speed train thing in Cali that's set to begin next year which he calls too slow and too expensive.
#2
Gusto
Gusto
#3
PatrThom
PatrThom
#4
strawman
strawman
Can't you just stick one end in outer space and let that vacuum maintain the tubes vacuum?
#5
Terrik
Terrik
#7
bhamv3
bhamv3
#8
Terrik
Terrik
#9
Frank
Frank
#11
ThatNickGuy
ThatNickGuy
#12
Gusto
Gusto
#13
PatrThom
Though I would like to see you try to stick together that many toilet paper tubes.
--Patrick
PatrThom
No, because gravity.Can't you just stick one end in outer space and let that vacuum maintain the tubes vacuum?
Though I would like to see you try to stick together that many toilet paper tubes.
--Patrick
#14
bhamv3
bhamv3
#15
blotsfan
blotsfan
#16
Ravenpoe
Ravenpoe
#17
Dave
Dave
#18
drawn_inward
drawn_inward
It would be nice if we could get a coast-to-coast high-speed rail in my lifetime. Probably won't happen. 
#19
Dave
Dave
#20
strawman
Further, high speed rail, particularly in the beginning, is even more easily targeted than airlines (just check out Europe's troubles with railroad terror), so it would probably be annoyingly annoying anyway.
What I would like to see is research into super expressways. They needn't be automated - cars are more stable at higher speeds than they used to be, and people are capable of driving safely at speeds in excess of 100mph. Build a few freeways with max speed of 120mph, and minimum of 80mph. Call on car manufacturers to design cars for such travel, with increased safety equipment, and design the freeway so that collisions all travel in the same direction, and there aren't any obstructions one could run into.
strawman
I had honestly hoped that raising gas prices plus increasingly annoying airline restrictions would make high speed rail more likely. Reality is that this seems to be offset somewhat by better video conferencing and information exchange, as well as cheaper and faster shipping (so glad fedex and UPS and usps all compete so energetically).It would be nice if we could get a coast-to-coast high-speed rail in my lifetime. Probably won't happen.
Further, high speed rail, particularly in the beginning, is even more easily targeted than airlines (just check out Europe's troubles with railroad terror), so it would probably be annoyingly annoying anyway.
What I would like to see is research into super expressways. They needn't be automated - cars are more stable at higher speeds than they used to be, and people are capable of driving safely at speeds in excess of 100mph. Build a few freeways with max speed of 120mph, and minimum of 80mph. Call on car manufacturers to design cars for such travel, with increased safety equipment, and design the freeway so that collisions all travel in the same direction, and there aren't any obstructions one could run into.
#21
GasBandit
GasBandit
#22
Gusto
Gusto
#23
GasBandit
GasBandit
#24
PatrThom
PatrThom
#26
Dei
Dei
#27
Gusto
Gusto
#28
Officer_Charon
Officer_Charon
#29
grub
grub
#30
GasBandit
GasBandit
#31
Bubble181
The biggest issue with European high-speed rail is the European railway unions. And the typical political tendency to give crap to cronies, resulting in 1 train between Brussels and Amsterdam (that's less than 150 miles) having to deal with 4 different voltages, 3 different safety systems, having to change sides 'cause one has trains driving on the left and the other on the right, and needing two different types of airconditioning because it's technically impossible to have one system meet both the Belgian and Dutch legal standards, as they're contradictory. This was a bit of an extreme example, but it's not much better anywhere else - TGV, Eurostar, ICE, Thalys,...all good systems, and all at odds with one another. Huzzah.
Bubble181
On the one hand, yes, it is easily targeted. On the other hand...We've had a bombing in London on the subway, and in Madrid at a railway station, and I think Moscow...Other than that, some very minor average bombs which were either found in time or didn't do much damage. Did I miss a whole string of horrible accidents where trains were derailed into big buildings full of people?
The biggest issue with European high-speed rail is the European railway unions. And the typical political tendency to give crap to cronies, resulting in 1 train between Brussels and Amsterdam (that's less than 150 miles) having to deal with 4 different voltages, 3 different safety systems, having to change sides 'cause one has trains driving on the left and the other on the right, and needing two different types of airconditioning because it's technically impossible to have one system meet both the Belgian and Dutch legal standards, as they're contradictory. This was a bit of an extreme example, but it's not much better anywhere else - TGV, Eurostar, ICE, Thalys,...all good systems, and all at odds with one another. Huzzah.
#32
drawn_inward
drawn_inward
#33
Terrik
Terrik
#34
Eriol
Eriol
#35
GasBandit
GasBandit
#36
Gusto
Gusto
#37
GasBandit
GasBandit
#38
Ravenpoe
Ravenpoe
#39
GasBandit
GasBandit