The head of a Spanish government committee that is exploring the possibility of a submarine tunnel that would link Spain and Morocco says the project is still viable despite construction challenges....
According to SECEGSA's website, high speed trains operating in the tunnel could make cargo journeys between Madrid and Marrakech or Casablanca up to three times shorter.
https://www.thelocal.es/20180528/tunnel-linking-europe-to-africa-still-possible-thanks-to-new-study
Well, at least they've already got a theme song...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzB5eRu6HOk
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Considering that the maximum depth of the proposed tunnel is over a quarter mile down, I don't expect construction to be starting in the foreseeable future.
Which will come first. The tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar, or the tunnel under the Bering Sea?
Victrola1 Which will come first. The tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar, or the tunnel under the Bering Sea?
Johnny
The article claims the Straits of Gilbraltar is doable, but at a high cost. Nothing in article was stated about the return on investment. Is there enough traffic across the Straits of Gibraltar to justify the expense?
Deggesty Victrola1 Which will come first. The tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar, or the tunnel under the Bering Sea? I have the impression that it would be easier to build track to the mouths of the Gibraltar Straits tunnel than it would be to build to the eastern mouth of the Bering Sea tunnel. But--how deep down would the Bering Sea tunnel be?
I have the impression that it would be easier to build track to the mouths of the Gibraltar Straits tunnel than it would be to build to the eastern mouth of the Bering Sea tunnel. But--how deep down would the Bering Sea tunnel be?
Both will probably beat double stacking the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
So, Balt, that double stacking is not even in your dreams?
DeggestySo, Balt, that double stacking is not even in your dreams?
In my dreams - yes. Near my reality - not with the current mind sets that exist in Washington DC and Jacksonville.
To my mind Ward and company expended too much political capital on the Mt. Clare 'transfer terminal' project that met with unwavering residential opposition with both City and State governments. Even had it come to pass it would have been at best a operational nightmare and at worst a gridlocking cluctercluck.
While the city and state now understand the importance of double stacking - with Maryland being a Democratic state, even though it now has a GOP Govenor, it is not being placed on any of the lists to finance pork.
Without double stacks the Port of Baltimore is dead in the competition for cotainer business.
With the mention of the "Howard Street Tunnel Project": I am curious, if the local flash flooding in the Baltimore area {Ellicott City, Md}; which the TV news has been highlighting for the last couple of days has effected the Howard St Tunnel Project?
samfp1943With the mention of the "Howard Street Tunnel Project": I am curious, if the local flash flooding in the Baltimore area {Ellicott City, Md}; which the TV news has been highlighting for the last couple of days has effected the Howard St Tunnel Project?
The South End of the Howard Street Tunnel actually sits below sea level as it is defined by Baltimore's Inner Harbor that is five or six blocks to the East of the tunnel. Pumps are in place to pump water out of the tunnel and into drainage into the harbor. In times of heavy rain, the pumps can't keep up and they are pumping to an outlet that has no place to go, in concert with all the other hard surface drainage that is taking place in the city. I suspect that operations through the tunnel were suspended during the storm and a period of its aftermath.
The problem at Ellicott City, as I see it. Over the past 40 - 50 - 60 years great areas of greenspace that is located at a higher level than Ellicott City has been developed into homes, apartments, shopping areas, streets, highways and parking areas - all hard surfaces that promote run off rather than having the rain soak into the ground. The area around Ellicott City is an area of hills and valleys that come together at the 'top end' of Main Street and use the street as a tributiary down to the Patapsco River.
I live in Sykesville, which is about 10-12 river miles upstream from Ellicott City. Our area got between 6-7 inches of rain. Ellicott City got 8-9 inches and in Baltimore County just East of Ellicott City got over 10 inches - all this rain happened in a period of two to three hours. Sykesville is also built in a hilly area with multiple valleys to channel runoff to Main Street and into the River - the difference between Sykesville and Ellicott City is that the development that has been done at the higher elevations did not eliminate most of the greenspace.
Made a trip up River Road, which parallels the river on the South Side for approximately two miles, before it starts its climb out of the river valley. Saw several locations where fallen trees were piled up in the channel of the river (which is a rather shallow stream in normal conditions). Also saw a number of mud buildups on the road, the the county highway department has cleaned up most of the mud.
The only things that will affect the Howard Steet Tunnel is the politics of financing the project.
Google maps shows the B&O Museum near the Patapsco River and Ellicott. Was there any damage to the B&O Museum?
I've got a book on Sci Fi from the "Steampunk" era, with one of the stories concerning a railroad tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar, written by Jean Jaubert in 1914. The gist of the story was that a leak in the tunnel led to production of chlorine gas from electrolysis of sea water coming in contact with the third rail.
Nice read.
I don't know what if any damage was sustained at the B&O Museum's Ellicott City Station location. What I do know is that the railraod goes through Ellicott City at a elevation above street level. The old Ellicott City station was built at the same elevation as the railroad. The picture is of the railroad bridge over Main Street.
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