Posted on 05/13/2014 3:03:13 AM PDT by Reaganite Republican
Nonvacuumed maglev would cost, at the absolute lowest price $20mm per km just for rail - or $225B, not including the price of terraforming, building a tunnel, an accompanying grid, or any of the rolling stock.
If it cost as much as the proposed Japanese projects, instead of the pie-in-the-sky low number that Chinese engineers are predicted, it would cost $3T.
“They’ll be Spandex Jackets, one for everyone...”
Thanks Reaganite Republican, but it’s ludicrous, and not just due to the massive costs that would never be recouped, even if it were all done with Chinese labor.
https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+buildings+tipped+over&tbm=isch
I just now tried to find a copy of that old (late 1960s? early 1970s?) documentary “It Couldn’t Be Done”; there was a segment in that regarding a proposal (by a Chinese guy) to bridge the strait. Also has segments about the Crazy Horse monument (still unfinished) and a few other things.
Montage of scenes previewing show “It couldn’t be done.” Band 5th Dimension aboard a boat singing song If I had a Hammer.
Location: United States
Date: 1970
Duration: 2 min 8 sec
Sound: Yes
http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675023493_It-couldnt-be-done_Television-program_Lee-Marvin_5th-Dimension_Hoover-Dam
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204417/companycredits?ref_=ttrel_sa_4
Comment on 15
To maritime transit times we need to add the number of days the ships lie anchored off-shore waiting their turn to be unloaded at the port facilities. There is often an oceanic parking lot off of Houston and Galveston for example.
This rail proposal is cool but ain’t very likely to happen.
I should not reply to old threads, dang it.
There are queues to port, but there is also significant unloading time for trains as well.
It takes time for multiple trains to move their containers from railcar to truck, just as it takes time for vessels to move their containers from shipboard to truck.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.