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You don't need hyperloop. Existing train technology could easily provide this. With modern signals and a good track, high speed trains can deliver good through

by dx034 9y ago

You don't need hyperloop. Existing train technology could easily provide this. With modern signals and a good track, high speed trains can deliver good throughput with high comfort. The problem appears to be the old tracks (speed restrictions) and old signalling system which increases delays and lowers throughput. EDIT: To use the route here as an example. According to google maps the distance is 83 miles on road, so probably around 80 miles for a train. This can easily be done within 45 min on a train. Have a look at the German cities of Cologne and Frankfurt. There's a high speed train running and I know some people commuting there. It's not nice either but a distance of 150 miles with <1hr commute each direction. The ticket costs ~$4,500 per year which includes free rides on all trains within Germany. There are 3 stops on the way and some people only commute half the way which makes it a 20-25 min commute for the same distance of Philipsburg to NYC.

crdb 9y ago
> With modern signals and a good track, high speed trains can deliver good throughput with high comfort. This exists in France where some countryside TGV stations have become Parisian commute towns. E.g. Angers-Paris (296km, 1h15 by TGV) - http://www.lepoint.fr/villes/tgv-boulot-saint-laud-25-10-2012-1528534_27.php http://www.lepoint.fr/villes/tgv-boulot-saint-laud-25-10-201... (French)
bradleyjg 9y ago
To give a point of comparison, Riverhead in Suffolk County is about 80 miles from Penn Station. Monthly tickets would add up to $6,000 a year. There's one train in the morning that you have to catch, leaving at 6:08 AM. It requires two transfers and gets to Penn Station at 8:23 AM. On the way back you again only have one train to catch, at 5:41 PM. It has one transfer and gets to Riverhead to 7:37 PM. For not much more than 8 hours at the office (depending on how far away from Penn it is) you'd be away from your house for more than 14 hours every day.

by dx034 9y ago

crdb 9y ago

> With modern signals and a good track, high speed trains can deliver good throughput with high comfort. This exists in France where some countryside TGV stations have become Parisian commute towns. E.g. Angers-Paris (296km, 1h15 by TGV) - http://www.lepoint.fr/villes/tgv-boulot-saint-laud-25-10-2012-1528534_27.php http://www.lepoint.fr/villes/tgv-boulot-saint-laud-25-10-201... (French)

bradleyjg 9y ago

To give a point of comparison, Riverhead in Suffolk County is about 80 miles from Penn Station. Monthly tickets would add up to $6,000 a year. There's one train in the morning that you have to catch, leaving at 6:08 AM. It requires two transfers and gets to Penn Station at 8:23 AM. On the way back you again only have one train to catch, at 5:41 PM. It has one transfer and gets to Riverhead to 7:37 PM. For not much more than 8 hours at the office (depending on how far away from Penn it is) you'd be away from your house for more than 14 hours every day.