Comment on The train that never came; how maglev technology was derailed
InevitableList@beehaw.org 4 days agoI read an article about China’s HSR that stated that a line with a top speed of 350km/h was 90% more expensive to build than a line built for 250km/h. The trains don’t spend much time at top speed during short journeys either. economist.com/…/china-has-built-the-worlds-larges…
A cubic meter of air weighs 1kg according to a Big, Bigger, Biggest episode about France’s TGV. Japan’s new Maglev is significantly smaller than the Shinkansen and the tunnels it runs through are 20% bigger since standard HSR already has problems with tunnel boom that can be mitigated at the tunnel entrance and exit. I also wonder how trains traveling in opposite directions will handle passing each other at 1000km/h given China is already working on next gen trains with that speed as a goal.
CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 3 days ago
Yeah, journey length is a huge factor. Over, like, a block or two walking is as dominant as a million years ago. Over continental distances airplanes are the thing to beat. Ordinary rail is promising, and vactrain concepts seem like the best very-long-term option. I did some napkin math that shows for an antipodal trip, even orbital travel can be energy-competitive, given one of a couple improvements beyond existing rocketry.
You have to adjust for Chinese truth in advertising a bit, so we might not find out, although apparently their rail infrastructure is a notable bright spot. You have to think the shockwaves would be loud, and potentially damaging to the trains, and the solution would be preventing them from ever passing close by, either with barriers and a wider allowance or careful scheduling.