High speed rail

[Theben]

Interestingly I just read an article in PopSci where a company is planning on putting neodynium on existing rails and the electromagnets on the trains. The cost would be reduced by ~80% and maintenance and fuel even more. In theory, of course.

It doesn't say how they'd stop the permanent magnets from wrecking every electronic system in 100 yds. and sucking in every ferrous metal from a mile away like a black hole.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DanS
I was referring to what Oerdin said. "Fast and affordable." For most, it will be slower and about as expensive or more expensive than flying, even if it is better run than Amtrak. Our experiences on the Northeast Corridor suggest that this will be so.

I think it can be cheaper then the alternative (air travel) as well as faster especially since you don't have to check in an hour before each trip. The only big question is how much the two tunnels will cost. If it turns out that the geology is more complex then originally thought (faults cutting the tracks or rocks turning out to be harder then expected) then costs could spiral but the tunneling is the only part which has real cost over run potential. Much of the track is over public property or places with pre-existing right of ways and construction costs can be held in line provided politicians don't give the unions dream contracts which **** the taxpayers.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Theben
It doesn't say how they'd stop the permanent magnets from wrecking every electronic system in 100 yds. and sucking in every ferrous metal from a mile away like a black hole.

[DanS]

I don't believe it. Our experiences on the Northeast corridor suggest that the service would be priced in relation to air fares and they would be higher. Acela on NYC-DC is priced at 1.5x the Delta shuttle, for example. For the sake of completeness, I note that Acela is priced at 7.5x the Chinatown buses.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by DanS
I was referring to what Oerdin said. "Fast and affordable." For most, it will be slower and about as expensive or more expensive than flying, even if it is better run than Amtrak. Our experiences on the Northeast Corridor suggest that this will be so.

If I remember correctly buying and airline ticket on the same day is much more expensive than Amtrak.

Hardly anyone take Amtrak though unfortunately. People still drive.

[DanS]

Amtrak (including Acela) handles the majority of NYC <-> DC intercity traffic.

[Unimatrix11]

Originally posted by DanS
For the ICE, what's the price from Munich to Berlin and how much time does it take?

Check it out yourself... i am to lazy...

http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

[Theben]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse

In English?

[Dinner]

It means magnetic attraction decreases very, very quickly with distance.

[DanS]

Originally posted by Unimatrix11
Check it out yourself... i am to lazy...

http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

Those travel times seem awful long for ICE. About 6 hours from Munich to Berlin, which is a shorter distance than LA to SF. Comparable to Amtrak, which nobody in California uses.

[Theben]

Originally posted by Oerdin
It means magnetic attraction decreases very, very quickly with distance.

I did exaggerate, but neodynimum magnets of that size would definitely pull on ferreous metals from several feet away, and mess with electronics w/in a few feet.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DanS


Those travel times seem awful long for ICE. About 6 hours from Munich to Berlin, which is a shorter distance than LA to SF. Comparable to Amtrak, which nobody in California uses.

Dan, please for once in your life talk about something you know about. Amtrak gets lots of business in the LA-Orange County-San Diego corridor. In fact the whole Coaster route is packed between Santa Barbara to San Diego.

[DanS]

Coaster is a commuter train, no? Not really intercity service as far as I know.

So why did you bring it up in the context of LA to SF?

[Dinner]

It's intercity covering all most half the coast of the state though it also stops frequently so some people use it as a commuter. The truth is there are several trains covering the coaster route some are express and others aren't.

[DanS]

According to Wiki, the Coaster only runs from Oceanside to downtown San Diego. That's not intercity.