A retractable gear turns a Tesla into a rail-guided train and back. Are railroads and transit going to let themselves be left at the station?
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/boring-company-tunnel-unveiling/
I tend to greet most of Elon Musk's concepts with a great deal of skepticism. He doesn't seem to be aware of the costs involved in boring a tunnel of any appreciable length, like his proposal for a similar tube between the Chicago Loop and O'Hare. He also seems to have an abiding faith in the ability of technology to solve the world's social problems.
Elon is one of the world's best marketing men.
As long as governments give grants to charlatans, Musk will be there. I mean, who wouldn't want to drive long distances in a tube? Sounds like fun! Say, where's the bathroom?
I realize he's a promoter, and promoters are often fast and loose with the truth. At the same time though, he's pushing the boundaries of what's possible outward. Look what Jobs did with communication, and his "Just one more thing". I see a Tesla here and there, and it dawns...no tailpipe. Beautiful looking design. Self-driving elements. He's driving the auto industry. Where might these other ventures lead?
GrampI realize he's a promoter, and promoters are often fast and loose with the truth. At the same time though, he's pushing the boundaries of what's possible outward. Look what Jobs did with communication, and his "Just one more thing". I see a Tesla here and there, and it dawns...no tailpipe. Beautiful looking design. Self-driving elements. He's driving the auto industry. Where might these other ventures lead?
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
CSSHEGEWISCHI tend to greet most of Elon Musk's concepts with a great deal of skepticism. He doesn't seem to be aware of the costs involved in boring a tunnel of any appreciable length, like his proposal for a similar tube between the Chicago Loop and O'Hare. He also seems to have an abiding faith in the ability of technology to solve the world's social problems.
I actually think he is attempting to guess what the next transportation innovation will be so that he can point to this past record of bull crap and say it was his invention / idea all along........possibly claiming royalties?
He does spend a lot of money on this stuff. I have a hard time believing that people will actually accept to being what amounts to a tunnel rat in an automobile with no outwardly visible escape routes if something goes wrong.
And don't forget about what is going on above the ground ..
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2018/11/fcc-gives-spacex-green-light-for-7518-new-satellites
and is doing them 64 at a time ....
https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/12/03/spacex-launches-swarm-of-satellites-re-flies-rocket-for-third-time/
And look at what he wants to do with our brains. Why the hell do people listen to this clown?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/23/elon-musk-neuralink-chip-brain-implants-humanity
[/quote]
54light15And look at what he wants to do with our brains. Why the hell do people listen to this clown?
Gee, I don't know. What made you want to post a link to it? The answer might have some relevance to your motive(s).
I actually think that brain-implanted chips are inevitable, for better or for worse.
I think the chips will be implanted in our wrists. Make for easy payments, head of the line priveleges, first pick of seats at the show. People in Sweden are doing it, so I'm told.
For better, eh? Funny!
Just what we need, a chip for more left brain thinking.
So, will we control the implanted chip or will the chip control us?
Jeff
Guess our tin foil hats will be no good now ...
No... we will need extra thick tinfoil hats so the hackers can't hack into our chips and steal our inner identities. Or worse yet, make us do things we normally would not do.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Yes, make us do things that no sane, rational person would ever do. Like look at trains, for example.
jeffhergert So, will we control the implanted chip or will the chip control us? Jeff
Poor choice of words Jeff. We will be given the opportunity to become integrated into the new system, reaping benefits of new synergies heretofore not available to us.
Think "Quayside" in Toronto, and how much "more rewarding" it will be to actually be part of the community than just a resident within it.
Do you suppose he listened to On the Town lyrics
"New York, New York, a wonderful town
The Bronx is up and the Battery's down
The people ride in a hole in the ground
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!
With the technology that the Tesla cars have, providing a fleet to travel through a tube that has no traffic variables should be a piece of cake. So the tunnel would have a dispatch system to stage the cars for loading and then dispatch into the tunnel on close headways which are determined by demand. They accelerate to speed following the previous car. At the terminal, they fan out to docking spots, and get reversed and sent back to the other terminal. Vehicles could hold up to 20 passengers + luggage. I think it is very doable. Something like a modern Morgantown system. But I have not seen anything in his proposals about handling what if's. Is there provision for evacuation of people in the event of something failing? Where will the emergency exits be? What if power fails in a vehicle? What if a battery fire occurs? ETC. What ventilation will be provided. I remember Montreal's subway in 1967 when I went to Expo and the heat that the rubber tired cars generated because there was insufficent ventleation. As long as he address all the potential issues, I hope he succeds. He has done much of what he proposed.
In most subterranean projects, the actual tunneling is the cheapest part. It is the building of the entry/exit points (terminals).
Has anyone ever done a real study on his claims that his technology cuts costs? Aren't tunnel boring machines already as automated as the economics will make sense?
I would venture to say that Musk's proposal is not that different from other proposals of all kinds to ease congestion. It just moves the congestion from one place to another.
Elon Musk reminds me of the differences between French and American engineers as described by David McCullough in "The Path Between the Seas". French engineers viewed themselves as men of science who could overcome any obstacles by using scientific technique. American engineers tended to be more pragmatic with an ability to think on their feet when things didn't go as planned.
American engineers tended to be more pragmatic with an ability to think on their feet when things didn't go as planned.
Isn't that the the definition of "American know-how?" You could say it applies to American soldiers in two world wars.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.