12 ms·

The problem is to move small cargo between Tokyo and Osaka (500 km). They end up choosing rail or light rail. Other options are just early spitballing for PR l

by nabla9 2y ago

The problem is to move small cargo between Tokyo and Osaka (500 km). They end up choosing rail or light rail. Other options are just early spitballing for PR like they always do. They might go for narrow rails if land use is important. Steel rolling on steel track is just too good solution for that distance. Other proposals like carts on a tunnel, converter belts are too slow or too expensive if fast enough. Having small carts move on wheels just wears down the wheels in no time. Same for conveyor belts. The cost of rail per km is cheaper than alternatives. They may end up loading wheeled carts on the train and wheel them off at destination, but they don't run them for 500 km. The all other options listed are just for show and PR.

wildzzz 2y ago
Conveyor belts are expensive to maintain. A family friend in WV was getting paid upwards of $150k a year in a town where most people lived in poverty simply because he was the guy to call when a coal mine's conveyor belt was broken. Not only was he paid so much because of the critical need (no coal coming out = no money coming in), but because every job was a big job since there was never much time for maintenance.
- DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
  > [the guy] was getting paid upwards of $150k a year in a town where most people lived in poverty simply because he was the guy to call when a coal mine's conveyor belt was broken So... most of the people there had to live in poverty just because that one guy gets paid so much for broken conveyor belts?
  - wildzzz 2y ago
    It wasn't a mining town, it was just cheap to live there. He would travel all over the place doing jobs.
  - dehugger 2y ago
    No, the town was in poverty because the business owners had leverage to squeeze most of the workers. Conveyor belt guy had the skillset and gumption to actually get paid for his labor, because there was no alternative. Blame the corporation that squeezes its employees for every dime, not a front line worker who actually manages to get paid appropriate compensation.
    - DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
      Oh I forgot the /s, sorry
soco 2y ago
I haven't seen maglev listed as an option. Way less wear with it, I'd say.

by nabla9 2y ago

wildzzz 2y ago

Conveyor belts are expensive to maintain. A family friend in WV was getting paid upwards of $150k a year in a town where most people lived in poverty simply because he was the guy to call when a coal mine's conveyor belt was broken. Not only was he paid so much because of the critical need (no coal coming out = no money coming in), but because every job was a big job since there was never much time for maintenance.

DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
> [the guy] was getting paid upwards of $150k a year in a town where most people lived in poverty simply because he was the guy to call when a coal mine's conveyor belt was broken So... most of the people there had to live in poverty just because that one guy gets paid so much for broken conveyor belts?
- wildzzz 2y ago
  It wasn't a mining town, it was just cheap to live there. He would travel all over the place doing jobs.
- dehugger 2y ago
  No, the town was in poverty because the business owners had leverage to squeeze most of the workers. Conveyor belt guy had the skillset and gumption to actually get paid for his labor, because there was no alternative. Blame the corporation that squeezes its employees for every dime, not a front line worker who actually manages to get paid appropriate compensation.
  - DemocracyFTW2 2y ago
    Oh I forgot the /s, sorry

soco 2y ago

I haven't seen maglev listed as an option. Way less wear with it, I'd say.