Maglev

[Simon F]

The engineering costs would be vast though. Just imagine the channel tunnel x 50. Could well be some consumer reluctance as well. Not too sure how people would react to being stuck in a tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean for any great length of time.

Probably complain a lot longer than those stuck in an aeroplane that lost its power over the Atlantic....

 

[Trawler]

Probably complain a lot longer than those stuck in an aeroplane that lost its power over the Atlantic....

Delays will surely occur. What could they be though? Squid on the line?

 

[London Geezer]

Probably complain a lot longer than those stuck in an aeroplane that lost its power over the Atlantic....

I know it's no laughing matter, but that was hilarious!!! Made my day...

 

[Gerry]

This one's got a little more meat on it:

http://www.readersdigest.co.uk/magazine/travel.htm

2300mph? Now that's pretty quick.

Personally I think it's a near certainty these things will get built at some point. Whether or not that will be in my lifetime is another matter.

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Airplanes are not energy efficient and require fossil fuel. Futhermore, a "maglev tunnel train" can be very fast (1,000kph or faster), faster than a normal airplane. Trains are also bigger (can handle more passengers) and more comfortable.

Airplanes are much more fuel efficient than automobiles.

 

[Natoma]

There was a show on Discovery Channel that covered this actually. The series is called Extreme Engineering, and they spoke about a maglev transit system between the United States and England. The train in a vacuum tube would be able to cruise at top speeds of 5,000 miles/hour, which is roughly 8,000 kilometers/hour. It sounds really outlandish, but there are engineers around the world working on the problem.

The only issue I'd have would be the problems caused if whales or other large sea creatures smashed into the tunnel, or heaven forbid a nuclear sub. And of course there is the volcanic activity at the mid-atlantic ridge to contend with. But definitely an interesting show to say the least.

 

[pcchen]

Airplanes are much more fuel efficient than automobiles.

And conventional high speed trains are much more fuel efficient than airplanes. What's your point?

 

[PC-Engine]

Trains are also a lot safer than planes, especially trains that pilot themselves.

 

[Simon F]

Trains are also a lot safer than planes, especially trains that pilot themselves.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but it's been said (heard it on the BBC program "QI") that planes could made safer by replacing the pilots with a man and a dog.

The man's job is to feed the dog. The dog's job is to bite the man if he tries to turn off the autopilot

 

[pcchen]

Ahh... that's an old and famous joke However, human pilots are still important for some situations, such as landing in bad weather condition.

About 70% of all fatal airplane accidents are blamed to the pilots, IIRC.

 

[PC-Engine]

 

[Willmeister]

Travelling along the Rim of Fire in an underground tube. If the plates of the planet suddenly stopped moving, then I might be interested.

Until that time, no thank you.

Without friction, just how would you brake? Flipping current around instantly will lead to some huge freakin' arcs wouldn't it?

 

[Ty]

Without friction, just how would you brake? Flipping current around instantly will lead to some huge freakin' arcs wouldn't it?

Decrease the magnetic field propelling you in one direction then slowly increase it to propel you in the other?

 

[Freak'n Big Panda]

I personally hope these trains are built some day. I mean @ 8000 km it would be like 30 min to get to europe from canada, that would be VERY convient, I could take a day trip to london If these are biult how much would a 1 way ticket be?

 

[Simon F]

Travelling along the Rim of Fire in an underground tube. If the plates of the planet suddenly stopped moving, then I might be interested.

I don't think the tube was underground - merely underwater.

Without friction, just how would you brake? Flipping current around instantly will lead to some huge freakin' arcs wouldn't it?

I'm sure you could use some form of regenerative braking.

 

[PC-Engine]

I personally hope these trains are built some day. I mean @ 8000 km it would be like 30 min to get to europe from canada, that would be VERY convient, I could take a day trip to london If these are biult how much would a 1 way ticket be?

Think about the G forces induced on the passengers

 

[Simon F]

I personally hope these trains are built some day. I mean @ 8000 km it would be like 30 min to get to europe from canada, that would be VERY convient, I could take a day trip to london If these are biult how much would a 1 way ticket be?

Think about the G forces induced on the passengers

I presume you mean going around corners - they'd certainly have to make the tube follow the curvature of the earth but that's not going to be that much of a problem. (Actually, would you being going fast enough that you'd effectively need to be pulled into your seat? I'm too lazy to work it out.)

Getting up to speed (4 Mm/hr ) and then slowing down would only require, say, 1/2 a G for a few minutes.

 

[V3]

Think about the G forces induced on the passengers

Another reason it should be build

 

[London Geezer]

Submit the passenger to high levels of G forces might scare MANY away.
As a reference, what is the G force (I know, why did they have to call the Vid cards that way???) experienced in a normal airplane? i guess no more than 2 G and that seems a lot to me... I mean, it's fun, but i don't see granma surviving 5 G

 

[pcchen]

The most G force you'll feel on a normal airplane is when taking off, landing (air brakes), and in a turbulence. Otherwise, without looking outside you may not be able to tell whether an airplane is turning.