Michael Jordet March 23, 2012 04:13 AM

This technology is WAY overdue! There is interest being generated right now with the Los Angeles Department Of Transportation. The sooner they break ground, the sooner this will spread across the Globe as the standard mode of mass transportation.
If you want to see this get started in California, Check this site out and click on "Second"!
http://ideas.la2b.org/los-angeles-california-la2b-what-streets-do-you-use-for-long-trips/quantum-leap-in-transportation-needed-build-et3-in-la-first

DemonDuck March 23, 2012 06:08 AM

Another boondoggle guaranteed to suck money and then go bankrupt. Little details like how to evacuate hundreds of miles of tube and keep it evacuated or that people won't like sitting in a windowless capsule without being able to move or go to the bathroom for an hour. Or keeping the tube absolutely straight though earthquakes (California remember). Those are just off the top of my head.
Makes nice fanciful copy though....

Von Meerman March 23, 2012 06:43 AM

If it could work, it would beat the hell out of our gas-guzzling planes.

onejuicy1 March 23, 2012 07:05 AM

Australia would be an ideal test bed for something like this, but I could never see our pee brained government being remotely interested

singularity March 23, 2012 07:17 AM

Go back to your cave and pointy stick DemonDuck. We'll progress for you.

watersworm March 23, 2012 07:22 AM

Remind me of "Swiss project", sort of the same but..underground, and a liitle more slower ! Fortunately they thougt about a "on land" project. Good morning SCFY

sgdeluxedoc March 23, 2012 07:40 AM

Only problems I can see, is emergency stops, at 1200 to 1800 MPH..and, of course, the needed acceleration to get to that speed.. The Only Thing that has stopped us so far, is wind resistance, if that's fixed, all the other issues, which were brought up by the previous commenter, are simply typical weeding out issues.. sideways shock absorbers, that can account for 3 feet in earthquake movement would solve that problem.. And OK maybe it'll appeal to those that hate air travel, but who doesn't , nowadays ;-)

Dan79 March 23, 2012 07:50 AM

get the scientists working on the tube technology at once. Tube tube technology.

skekoa March 23, 2012 07:54 AM

The speed of sound in air is 1,236 km/h. These would be traveling up to 5,400 km/h. Love to see how they contain the force of the routine and repeated sonic booms.

Jeffrey Paull March 23, 2012 08:38 AM

Geez . . . If people are worried about what teensy cell phone currents can do to us, I can imagine that inside one of those electrified maglev tubes you'd turn into your own TV set, AND the iron in your red corpuscles would become magnetized and you'd stick to all the other passengers in your car.