12 replies to this topic

[Waspie_Dwarf]

news.discovery.com said:

You know those clear vacuum tubes at bank drive-thrus -- the ones that suck up deposit canisters at lightning speed? Sure you do, they're mesmerising. Admit it, if there was a mode of transportation that allowed you to travel back and forth like those canisters do, you would be the first to hop aboard.

Well, if Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT or ET3) can ever turn their patent into a reality, your totally tubular pipe dreams just might be plumb for picking.

Read more...

[BorisIWantToKnow]

Hah, i don't believe that's possible. There would have to be "tunnels" of some kind, going for miles. I think we're still not at that level of evolution

[Daneel]

If my memory serves me well the Swiss have been looking at it as an alternative to railroads in Switzerland but they dropped the project as the vacuum was too much of a problem to maintain over long distances

[MindfieldzX]

Thats funny, cuz Futurama did it. And I am watching it right now, haha.

[pallidin]

I don't know, but it seems too expensive and dangerous to be viable.

[DONTEATUS]

I can travel much,MUCH ! faster than that little vacuum train that could ! Its called the Internet, really ,Really fast ! Almost light speed !

[cerberusxp]

Like when the Geico Gecko was sucked up the tube in the mail room? I think a human would end up a bloody blob at the other end. Imagine the air pressure that would have to be produced. I used clear natural gas lines using air pressure with a foam ball ( like a nerf football ) that we called shooting the pig. When it came out the other end of the pipe (sometimes a mile or so through the pipe) it was in pretty bad shape.I think a transporter (matter transfer unit) would be a much better pursuit. Remember the Fly? LOL Beam me up Scotty! I think the Government already has this technology. Back when Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad I think one was used from D.C. to an air craft carrier.

Edited by cerberusxp, 27 March 2012 - 02:44 AM.

[Ahkronn]

cerberusxp, on 27 March 2012 - 02:34 AM, said:

Like when the Geico Gecko was sucked up the tube in the mail room? I think a human would end up a bloody blob at the other end. Imagine the air pressure that would have to be produced. I used clear natural gas lines using air pressure with a foam ball ( like a nerf football ) that we called shooting the pig. When it came out the other end of the pipe (sometimes a mile or so through the pipe) it was in pretty bad shape.I think a transporter (matter transfer unit) would be a much better pursuit. Remember the Fly? LOL Beam me up Scotty! I think the Government already has this technology. Back when Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad I think one was used from D.C. to an air craft carrier.

Not if the acceleration is progressive.

People already traveled at Mach 9.6 (7,000 mph). A normal passenger airplane travels at around 500mph and you don't even feel it.
It's all about control... and pressure inside the cabin.

Edited by Ahkronn, 27 March 2012 - 12:53 PM.

[sergeantflynn]

Cargo distribution is all this is good for . To risky for humans .

[Kasey2601]

Perhaps they should take notes from Jasper Fforde!

[Alienated Being]

It's hilarious how you misspelled "company" and "transport", but managed to spell "sophisticated" correctly.

Lmao.

Nice article.

[AbsurdistMe]

MindfieldzX, on 26 March 2012 - 02:51 PM, said:

Thats funny, cuz Futurama did it. And I am watching it right now, haha.

lol Good call MindfieldzX! Fururama was my first thought.


If this could be possible it would be awesome. I'm gonna guessing that this won't go any further than the 'idea' phase... at least for a while.

[The Dreamer - Hybrid89]

I think if the speed is progressive then its definitely possible. Liek a person said above when we;re on a passanger plain traveling at roughly 500mph we dont even feel it due to certain aspects.

recently I watched a documentary on netflix about Mount everest. They got a helicopter to bring them a third of the way. Leaving them to walk 30Km to the base camp. They said the reason for this was that, if they got a plain ride to the base camp, the difference in air would make them pass out minutes after being exposed and even death after that or something. By walking up ,there bodies adjusted gradually and the blood naturally adapted and carried twice as much oxygen.

This tube transport could be quite effective if certain aspects are met accordingly.