Pipeline Mass Transit? 557
pipingguy writes "'Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) is a new kind of transportation system that requires less than two percent of the energy of current transportation methods. It is also much safer, and can be faster. [...] Anyone can visualize 2 tubes (one for each direction) along a travel route. Air is permanently removed from the tubes; so travel takes place without friction. Pressurized passenger capsules (like a 2 - 8 person airplane cabin), travel in the tubes on thin steel wheels or on nearly frictionless Maglev. Airlocks allow access without admitting air to the tubes. Linear motors (as used on new rollercoasters) accelerate the capsules. During most of the trip the capsules coast; using no power. When the capsules slow down, linear generators recover most of the electrical energy used to accelerate the capsules.' Some CG images and drawings here, the FAQ is here." MSNBC had an article on monorails a few days ago. Don't bother making Simpsons jokes, the article has them covered already.
Um... (Score:2, Funny)
The very first underground train in New York worked exactly like this, pneumatically. Everything old is new again, eh?
Pre-emptive Simpsons jokes (Score:5, Funny)
That's unpossible! (Score:2, Funny)
But that's the kind of commentary Slashdot does best!
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Frictionless (Score:2, Funny)
1. Create vacuum.
2. ???
3. Violate thermodynamics!
Ele-fucking-mentary, my dear Watson.
Prior Work (Score:1, Funny)
Re:dangerous? (Score:2, Funny)
Read the FAQ
To change the subject, did you know they've removed gullible [dictionary.com] from the dictionary?
But you didn't warn us off of Futurama.... (Score:5, Funny)
Man: Radio City Mutant Hall! [The man is sucked up into the tube]
Fry: Um. Cross Town Express? [He is sucked up into the tube] Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! [People look up from the street and stare at him. He is taken across the city, past the Statue of Liberty, underwater and finally out the other end smack into a building.]
Man: Pfft! Tourist!
Re:From now on, we'll all travel in TUBES!-Weeeh! (Score:2, Funny)
If you can get the police to stay out of my way. I bet I could.
Re:From now on, we'll all travel in TUBES! (Score:4, Funny)
Where can I get an ejection seat for my Honda?
Re:Um... (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, just like the old pneumatic underground made by Alfred Ely Beach, except it's not pneumatic. And it uses two single directional tubes, recycles energy, travels at 300mph, is powered by an electric motor, and runs in a vacuum. But, other than that it's exactly the same.
Re:Not a new concept? (Score:3, Funny)
C1Q3
When the litter is overturned by the whirlwind,
and faces will be covered by their cloaks,
the republic will be vexed by new people,
then whites and reds will judge in contrary ways.
which obviously foretells a terrorist attack by the Chinese on one of these systems.
The litter (to contemporary term for a carriage or capsule) is destroyed when the vacuum is lost and the air rushes in. The Republican president has to deal with the 'reds' aka the Chinese.
Re:From now on, we'll all travel in TUBES!-Weeeh! (Score:3, Funny)
Mapquest says it's 2906 miles from SF to New York. That puts your average speed at about 530 MPH. I'm pretty sure the cops wouldn't be able to catch you at that rate, anyhow.
If you decide to try it out, let me know and I'll race ya.
Re:Infrastructure. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Not much different than with a plane... (Score:5, Funny)
Except without the falling and the crashing and the screaming.
Must.... Resist.... Urge... (Score:2, Funny)
"So, in closing, mono means one, and rail means rail."
Re:From now on, we'll all travel in TUBES! (Score:3, Funny)
kinda like in hover carnage [sourceforge.net] except without all the death and stuff...
Re:whooosh.. (Score:3, Funny)
Actually, from reading the FAQ, it seems like the company is merely promising franchise rights to this, not any actual end-product itself. That's worse than vaporware. That's meta-vaporware. Yuck.
Re:Can't say I'm sold into this... (Score:3, Funny)
Ginger ownz this! (Score:1, Funny)
I can hear the theme music now (Score:1, Funny)
His boy elroy...
My idea... (Score:5, Funny)
OK, you're all skeptical. Here's the FAQ from my investment prospectus.