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>We (in the USA) can barely build a high-speed rail line effectively We went to the moon. We send car sized rovers to Mars. We certainly can (in the technical

>We (in the USA) can barely build a high-speed rail line effectively We went to the moon. We send car sized rovers to Mars. We certainly can (in the technical sense) build a friggin' train. Its a political problem that keeps us from doing it. So its more like "we won't build high speed rail", and there are plenty of interesting reasons why this is so. The point is that the mystical sounding Hyperloop might be just what the doctor ordered to shake up the political landscape and get something to budge because ooohh... futuristic! It might just be a brilliant end-run around the current political stalemate. At the most local level it has the potential to turn "nah, I don't want a train running through my back yard" to "oh wow, my community is part of the enlightened future of humanity!"

manigandham 9y ago
Sure, it's a combination of political/social/economic factors but "futuristic" doesn't seem to have much impact right now (if it ever really did). NASA's trip to the moon was funded by war motives and we've since had the decline of both the space station and the shuttle programs. It's great to see SpaceX doing new things but there's definitely profits in reducing launch costs (again driven by war and business motives). What exactly is the Hyperloop going for? Short trips are already served by buses, subways and light-rail. World-wide trips won't be feasible against air travel anytime soon, and will probably require the same security procedures as flying because of the speeds and risks involved, especially if crossing national borders. So connecting major metros is the potential scenario but airlines have already proven that the vast majority want wifi and food so we can be productive and entertained in transit rather than paying a big premium to save a few hours.
- noonespecial 9y ago
  Yes airlines are the first thing that spring to mind when I think of wifi, food, and convenience during travel. Call me an optimist but it's high time for something new to shake things up. I don't care if it's a magic tube train or just some really nice selfdriving busses.
  - manigandham 9y ago
    You're obviously talking about transit for the mainstream in which case it's not perfect but airlines provide the best combination of speed, comfort, and service today. Let's not forget that you're actually flying in the air in an incredible machine. We already have plenty of cheap bus drivers though so I don't see what self-driving buses will do...

manigandham 9y ago

Sure, it's a combination of political/social/economic factors but "futuristic" doesn't seem to have much impact right now (if it ever really did). NASA's trip to the moon was funded by war motives and we've since had the decline of both the space station and the shuttle programs. It's great to see SpaceX doing new things but there's definitely profits in reducing launch costs (again driven by war and business motives). What exactly is the Hyperloop going for? Short trips are already served by buses, subways and light-rail. World-wide trips won't be feasible against air travel anytime soon, and will probably require the same security procedures as flying because of the speeds and risks involved, especially if crossing national borders. So connecting major metros is the potential scenario but airlines have already proven that the vast majority want wifi and food so we can be productive and entertained in transit rather than paying a big premium to save a few hours.

noonespecial 9y ago
Yes airlines are the first thing that spring to mind when I think of wifi, food, and convenience during travel. Call me an optimist but it's high time for something new to shake things up. I don't care if it's a magic tube train or just some really nice selfdriving busses.
- manigandham 9y ago
  You're obviously talking about transit for the mainstream in which case it's not perfect but airlines provide the best combination of speed, comfort, and service today. Let's not forget that you're actually flying in the air in an incredible machine. We already have plenty of cheap bus drivers though so I don't see what self-driving buses will do...