this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2023
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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Ok so this video convinced me hyperloops are a bad idea because vacuum is difficult to maintain

well then what’s a good idea that can go faster than airplanes? What am I supposed to be excited about instead? I love trains and the hyper loop sounded like a really fast train, which is cool.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Maglev, they hold the current rail speed record with 603 km/h: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_speed_record

By comparison the cruising speed of a current airliner is ~900 km/h

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The actual speed that matters should be calculated including any on- and off-boarding, so planes aren't all that fast for short distances (considering most people probably need at least an hour before flight in the airport and at least like 20 minutes after arrival).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

At least 20 minutes is not enough to get to a place you want to visit though, while trains in many places ride straight into the city.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Some more modern cities air ports near the centers as well

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Maglev is expensive both to build (because you need magnetized rails) and to operate (uses more energy overall than a shinkansen).

There is a reason why Japan built a prototype decades ago but never built a commercial line.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Wasn't the hyperloop just a vacuum tube for cars? As in, it would have the same density issues that cars do, it's just faster.

The better option is ultra high speed trains, like the bullet train in Japan.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's just a propulsion/transportation system, so the size of each car is not defined. Like a bus and a personal car use the same system...

Maybe you think about his boring tunnels which are just normal tunnels for normal cars: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Convention_Center_Loop

For hyperloop only prototypes were built, not for real usage. Considering the price of maintenance and construction of the vacuum tunnels, bigger cars will be used in normal operation. It's also a separate system from any other current transport method, so there is no benefit of smaller cars, maybe something like a RORO system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roll-on/roll-off

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Ok. I thought the original proposal was a pneumatic tunnel system connecting major cities (e.g. LA & SF) catering to individual passenger vehicles. So essentially a RORO, but smaller scale for transporting passenger cars.

The LV system always seemed like a demo of the concept, but without the pneumatic system.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Ideally with the ability to transport cars and lorrys like LeShuttle.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Even more ideally there should be ample public transport at either end of the high speed line so a car isn't necessary, and freight trains are far more efficient than carrying a lorry containing a single container.

Eurotunnel is relatively unique as it bridges the UK to the rest of Europe, and the only other realistic option is a slower ferry journey. Where continental journeys are concerned there's no need for them to be able to carry vehicles in my opinion.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's not that unique, RORO trains aka rolling highways are used throughout Europe, but for freight only: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_highway

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

We'll, guess I learned something today and stand corrected. Thanks

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You don't need a car everywhere. Most non US developed countries have a robust public transport network. A car is actually less practical than public transport for like 90% of use cases if you live in Metropolitan areas. Same for tourism. Don't need a car to go visit Paris. Jump on a local tgv and be in center Paris just a few hours later from most of western Europe. Why would you bring a car..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Because I want to visit the hardware store damnit, and it's 1h away by train/bus vs 15min by car, and I have to carry all the stuff with me on the train, man, I miss having a car sometimes..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My local hardware store ships to my house for a very reasonable fee.

Blame shitty public transport networks :(

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That's very lucky, mine wants to charge €200 for a €70 piece of wood.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not everywhere has this, for example regional France does not, not does regional Japan. Also it's completely unhelpful to get people out of cars and into public transport without realising that people need to take baby steps towards this. Dictating the end state without having sensible steps to bring people along with the process is just beyond dumb, especially when a lot of countries e.g., the UK have absolutely shit public transport that requires decades of investment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Oh yeah, ofcourse. No discussion there. But one can dream :)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Faster than current planes? Past planes that have been retired because they weren't as efficient

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

You can check the brief story of the Concorde.