Transatlantic Tunnel

[Rumpy]

That sounds like a huge bitch of a projectto put together. Odds are the people that start the project wouldn't be alive when it's done. We have so far to go technology wise it's crazy.

[Shakey]

Originally posted by Kidnemo
From what I've read:

They have a good number of "fail safe" technologies built into the design, which the projected cost would cover.

So did the Titanic...

[Lordmrw]

It would be nice but the chances of it being completed during my lifetime are nil. I'd be all over it if it ever did hapen.

[Diff-chan]

Originally posted by BioMechanic
I agree the risks far outweigh the rewards. A ticket would probably have to cost thousands of dollars to make it cost-effective, and even if the tunnel was 100% safe, I don't think many people would pay that much just to save a few hours.

It would be at first, and Im sure plenty of CEOs and execs would happily get those tickets. They spend so much of their time on a plane every year, Im sure they would love to get it over with quickly. Plane rides are soooo boring after the novelty wears off!

Economy of scale would drive the cost down, probably to maybe the price of a Concorde flight now. I mean, the very first calculators were like $270, now banks gives them away when you sign up for an account.

[Rumpy]

They just grounded the Concorde. There wasn't enough demand to keep it going.

I remember seeing a show about how they plan on making a "super monorail" of sorts...can't remember where. It might have been Germany. They want to link big cities together, they think they have the technology at a point where it makes economic sense to be able to do it. Trains would do over 100 mph easy. Looked cool as hell.

[station82o]

hey - isn't their already an ocean floor tunnel connecting the UK to France?

And i'm wondering - wouldn't the pressure of the ocean at the ocean floor just crush anything that went down there... tunnels included? I mean... how the hell would they construct that anyway - sounds like something i'd read in popular mechanics... neat idea - just not very pratical i think...

[BioMechanic]

Originally posted by station82o
hey - isn't their already an ocean floor tunnel connecting the UK to France?

There is - it's something like 30 miles long. The BART in SF bay also goes underwater - well, it actually travels under the bottom of the bay there.

And i'm wondering - wouldn't the pressure of the ocean at the ocean floor just crush anything that went down there... tunnels included? I mean... how the hell would they construct that anyway - sounds like something i'd read in popular mechanics... neat idea - just not very pratical i think...

You're right - no way could the tunnel survive the pressure there, plus the ocean bottom is far too rugged - it's like a mountain range in spots, with peaks almost as tall as Mt. Everest and trenches miles deep. Not to mention the common earthquakes on the ocean floor.

The proposal would have the tunnel floating a hundred feet or so below the sea's surface, secured by cables attached to the ocean floor.

[Scorp23]

id like to see something like a tunnel in the future, that really sucks that the tiniest hole could screw it up but if it would work the more power to them

[Opaque]

Holly Shit!

[Josh]

5,000 mph?

Jeez...

Originally posted by BioMechanic
rugged