124 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yahoo: Elon Musk reveals his Hyperloop concept
http://autos.yahoo.c...-213053219.html

[BSLMikeLowe]

Sounds cool. But I find this part highly dubious.

 

It sounds fantastic, and according to Musk could be built for less than a comparable magnetic-levitation train — roughly $6 billion for a Los Angeles-to-San Franciso route that would cut travel time to 30 minutes for a $20 ticket.

[DJ MC]

Anything that could get me to Washington in ~5 minutes is OK in my book.

 

Or...why not just skip ahead...

[Coker]

...Wow.

A Boston-NY-Philly-DC loop would be incredible. 

[NewMarketSean]

Baltimore and DC would be the perfect place to beta test this type of thing. Urban/suburban space between the 2 cities, ie: no nature preserves to tear down, plus a highway to build it along/above and large affluent populations to use it. I'd love to see it happen. Just gotta get past those MD NIMBY's who are notorious for shutting things down before they can happen.

[mweb08]

This is the type of thing this country should be investing in imo. This would be such a game changer for society.

[Russ]

Here's an article that gets a little more in-depth about the hyperloop: http://www.wired.com...loop-elon-musk/

[NewMarketSean]

This is the type of thing this country should be investing in imo. This would be such a game changer for society.

It would be nice to get some private funding going for a transit project since the govt has proven they operate transit, and most other services, even for profit services, at a loss.

[Mackus]

Article/thread title sounds absolutely made up, both the guy's name and the concept.  It's a Comcast Info synopsis for a SyFy movie starring some washed up D-lister like Kevin Sorbo.

 

The idea is super cool, though.  High speed mass transit is a major area in which we're very far behind other countries.

[NewMarketSean]

At 900 MPH you could make it from Baltimore to downtown DC in....3 minutes.

 

It would take longer to walk from OPACY to the harbor. Like, 5 times as long.

[Nigel Tufnel]

With 12 people in a pod, it doesn't seem like it would make any sense for short distances.  The wait to actually get into the pod would be way too long.

[mweb08]

This is the type of thing this country should be investing in imo. This would be such a game changer for society.

It would be nice to get some private funding going for a transit project since the govt has proven they operate transit, and most other services, even for profit services, at a loss.

Yeah, no doubt.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Japan offers to front half the cost of a Maglev train between Baltimore and DC:

 

 

The Japanese government has promised to lend the United Stateshalf of the cost of building the first "Super-Maglev" train, reducing travel time between Baltimore and Washington DC to just 15 minutes.

Tokyo is so keen to show off its technology that it will provide loans for half the estimated $8 billion (£5bn) cost of installing the tracks, Japan'sAsahi newspaper said on Tuesday.

 

http://www.telegraph...-Baltimore.html

[mweb08]

Yes please.

[BSLMikeLowe]

I'm always skeptical of whether projects like this can be built, if at all, to the specs/expectations that you see in the "sales" phase. That said, this could really be great for Baltimore. If the cost of a round-trip is reasonable enough (or a monthly/annual pass) something like this could make Baltimore a lot more attractive for people who work in DC, want to live in an urban setting, but don't want to pay DC prices for a home or apartment. The increase in residents, many of whom would be making decent incomes, is just what Baltimore needs. Certainly much more appealing than taking the MARC back and forth each workday.

[DuffMan]

Get this done,  build the new Arena/Convention center and suddenly the DC/Bmore Olympic bid looks alot more appealing.  

[NewMarketSean]

I'd rather see these monies go to improving MARC service between cities, since it already exists and just started running weekends -- as well as building the red line, improving the existing light rail and bus network, and expanding the metro subway to White Marsh.

 

Building a MAGLEV line would be cool and all, but it'll never happen. Let's use the money they're dumping into this pipe dream to invest in something that already exists.

[RShack]

I'd rather see these monies go to improving MARC service between cities, since it already exists and just started running weekends -- as well as building the red line, improving the existing light rail and bus network, and expanding the metro subway to White Marsh.

 

Building a MAGLEV line would be cool and all, but it'll never happen. Let's use the money they're dumping into this pipe dream to invest in something that already exists.

 

I like your "Can Do" attitude  

 

http://www.thehotais...never-take-off/

[SammyBirdland]

Would traveling at 900 MPH have any impact on drunk people's ability to sing Lil Jon songs?

 

[Pedro Cerrano]

So, for reasons way beyond what I want to get into, I have to be in DC Court tomorrow by 9 AM for a few hearings.  Anyway, I figured rather than fight traffic and park at Greenbelt, I could just take the MARC to Union Station and back.  Well, apparently this thing only runs during rush hour?  I need to come back around noon and nothing runs during those hours.

 

Seems pretty pointless to me, but what do I know?