For the transport of coal, what is the advantage of maglev over conventional rail?
The Chinese are in fact developing maglev coal transport. UP / BNSF, watch out!
http://www.magplane.com/media.htm
I am trying to find a link to obtain the proceedings of the Maglev conference in San Diego earlier this year...
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." Daniel Burnham
Work on natural nuclear fusion differs from the process most physicists are attempting to harness. There was a review of "cold fusion" in a recent issue of Science News, but there is no mention of natural nuclear fusion in volcanoes, or "geofusion." The author said he did not want to confuse the "more contentious" issue of benchtop cold fusion (personal communication). In light of the Missouri study, geofusion should be regarded as a possible innovation.
Should we be looking to China as an example of technological innovation, or should we give it a try ourselves?
Some regional perspective: we need jobs, and comparable amounts are being spent on highways:
Boeing Expects Layoffs to Total 10000 in 2009 - NYTimes.com
The Washington State Department of Transportation incorporated two changes into the design of the $83 million State Route 20, Fredonia to Interstate 5, construction project. The changes were developed by a value engineering team, a group of freeway design experts who reviewed the original design and suggestions from local residents.
The new design shifts the south end of Goldenrod Road and the bridge supporting new southbound I-5 on and off ramps slightly to the east. All other aspects of the project design remain the same. The new project design will not change the schedule or budget of the project. The construction cost of the interchange portion of the project is $20 million and includes:• realign the southbound I-5 on and off ramps, construct embankment and two bridges to elevate the ramps over Goldenrod Road, • modify the northbound on and off ramps at the I-5/SR 20 interchange, which includes adding a second left turn lane to the northbound off ramp,• close the existing Peterson road connection to SR 20 and build a new connection further to the west that aligns with the new southbound ramp terminals on SR 20,• rebuild signals at the Goldenrod Road intersection and the northbound ramp terminals,• install a signal at the new Peterson Road/southbound ramp terminals on SR 20,• adding two new lanes between the new Peterson road connection and the northbound off ramps,• add sidewalk along the south side of SR 20 between the new southbound ramp terminal and just east of the northbound ramp terminal and on the north side of SR 20 from the I-5 overcrossing to the vicinity of the northbound ramp terminal,• and improvements to Nevitt Road and a new connection between Nevitt Road and Goldenrod Road.
Physicists have yet to discover a practical way of containing and controlling nuclear fusion so I wouldn't hitch a maglev wagon to this star. Geothermal energy is a possible source but I will defer to others on its cost and availability.
Maglev has yet to prove itself as a practical system. I haven't heard any reports from China about the route being constructed there beyond its cost.
Over the past several months, I have learned much on these fora about realistic options for improving public transportation. One point that emerged was that a true "high-speed" system could be viable if a new, inexpensive source of electricity were found.
Besides being a train fan, for 25 years I have researched a possible link between the Earth and Sun (natural nuclear fusion) which might be exploitable to provide electricity needed for maglev. Below is a cost comparison for other infrastructure:
Tilt and Conventional Trains
Maglev
*In 1997 dollars
Source:
As I have developed my fusion theory, so too new supporting information has become available. And now at the same time our nation faces an economic and environmental imperative some keys to my theory are emerging. Notably and importantly for this region, a "channel of molten rock" under Western Washington State has recently been inferred from first-ever studies of high-temperature heat flow. [See Whittington and Hofmeister, Nature 458, pp. 319-321; 19 March 2009; University of Missouri in Columbia and Washington University in St. Louis scientists have been able to measure heat flow in samples of crust material subjected to high temperatures. They have found that the Earth's lower crust must act as an insulator, increasing the crust's potential to generate molten magma. Also Jean Braun (Universite de Rennes) lin the same issue pp. 292-293. Nature wants $57.50 for me to reproduce Braun's figure 2 here, so just take my word...]
Anyway, I am trying to contact my Congressional Representative and ask him to support development of a Cascade Magic Carpet (maglev system); and I knew readers of this forum would have no shortage of constructive criticism!
Thank you for your time and consideration,
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