Monday, August 12, 2013

The Musk hyperloop: 99% hype and 1% loopy ???

Perhaps you've heard the latest sensational claims:


My prediction is that it will be a variation of the "gravity train" concept:


It would have to go through the earth's mantle, and it would be VERY expensive to build. More billion$$ or trillion$$ siphoned from the public trough into Mr. Musk's bank account ???

By the way, this concept has been around for a LONG time. I first heard of it in high school in the 60s. It's like the "space elevator": great concept, but difficult to execute. Absolutely nothing new here except the hype.

And the same applies even if it turns out to NOT be a gravity train. Pneumatic tube transport is nothing new:




A good question to ask at this point is: what the hell do we need this for? Would this serve a real need, or is it another pie in the sky idea from the global warming nutjobs?

And a more practical question would be this: How does the energy expended in drawing and maintaining the vacuum compare to what is needed to push a train along at atmospheric pressure over the same distance?

Hmmm ... maybe I should bring up this verse again:

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie
2 Thessalonians 2:11 KJV

Americans do love fantasies and delusions more than we love reality, don't we?
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