The Hyperloop (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

Because European trains aren't inconvenient compared to other Eurpoean travel options? But trains in the US are every bit as inconvenient as I described them. And I estimate getting self-driving cars is more probable than fixing the American rail system.

Ba dum...tish!

Still, don't know if I could ever get my head around cars driving themselves. Automatic pilots on planes I can get; however, separation between aircraft is a thousand feet or more whereas with cars it is six feet laterally and three car lengths from rear to front. The thought of a piece of silicon built by the lowest bidder steering for me does not fill me with glee.

 

[DaveF]

But flying at 35,000 ft in a tube built by the lowest bidder, kept from crashing by an antiquated air-control system built by lowest bidders, all protected by a crack-security system of lowest-bidder contractors...that makes you comfortable?

 

[Edwin-S]

But flying at 35,000 ft in a tube built by the lowest bidder, kept from crashing by an antiquated air-control system built by lowest bidders, all protected by a crack-security system of lowest-bidder contractors...that makes you comfortable?

......... .......... .........Uhhh.....good point.......

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

If trains are so inconvenient, why have Europeans been able to make a go with them? From what I have heard the European passenger train system is quite good. Passenger service in NA is a disaster because governments are in thrall to the automotive industry. In fact, all levels of government have been in thrall to the corporate sector for years and that servitude has been a disaster for the creation and maintenance of national and regional infrastructure.

Europe is much more densely populated than North America. The United States and Canada are full of wide open spaces. Even as the bird flies, it's well over a hundred miles further from New York City to Chicago than it is from London to Berlin.The total land area of Europe is less than 4 million square miles. The land area of the United States alone is nearly that large (if you include Alaska). The same is true of Canada alone.The other factor working against rail travel is that it inverts the normal pattern for transportation. While bus travel and air travel both feature private service providers utilizing public infrastructure (roads, highways, bus stations and airports), rail travel features a public service provider (Amtrak) utilizing private infrastructure (freight rail tracks). As a result, passenger rail travel will always play second fiddle to freight rail travel. Tracks are maintained to legal minimum standards or minimum standards for freight rail traffic. None of this is conducive to high speed rail travel.

 

[schan1269]

I remember meeting a guy at Indianapolis International that escorted a French DLP piece. he landed at 1:30 IN the morning.Here was our conversation..."I have a cousin at Ohio State, I can change my tickets back out of there"."Car rentals are closed till 6am""Why do I need a car? I don't drive."

 

[Sam Posten]

Musk will build a test track:

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/15/elon-musk-will-build-a-hyperloop-track-for-ultra-high-speed-transport-tests/

 

[Sam Posten]

Their website is live:

http://hyperlooptech.com/

 

[Sam Posten]

New test track:
http://news.yahoo.com/ultra-fast-hyperloop-train-gets-test-track-california-130857490.html

 

[Sam Posten]

Without a prize this is like doing professional work 'for exposure'
http://qz.com/428216/elon-musk-launches-a-competition-to-build-pods-for-his-futuristic-hyperloop/

 

[Sam Posten]

Virgin Hyperloop completes first test ride with passengers

Virgin Hyperloop completed its first test ride with passengers on board the high-speed transportation system on Sunday, the company announced.The test with Josh Giegel, co-founder and chief technol…

thehill.com

 

[Sam Posten]