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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices
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To: tejek who wrote (359215)11/22/2007 12:10:34 PM
From: TimF  Read Replies (3) of 1573986
 
ever heard of Maglev trains?

Yes I've known about them since I was a kid and they only existed on an experimental level. I even did a school project about the idea of building almost airless tunnels for unltra high speed magnetically levitated trains to go through. New York to LA in under an hour. (But the cost would be incredible, and there are potential safety concerns, so even though the idea is decades old it won't happen any time soon).

Most maglev ideas are fare less ambitions and thus more realistic.

Maglev trains require new infrastructure, its not just replacing track, and for the moment its very costly to set up maglev trains. Eventually there will be a lot more use of such trains, and I'm not against this happening, but at the moment its pretty insignificant, and even in the best case scenario passenger volumes are likely to be low compared to other transportation alternatives.

As for replacing track being cheaper than building an Interstate. Probably is, but the total cost includes the initial right of way and ground prep costs.

Now true that is sunk cost, and shouldn't be important when considering future actions, but unless you actually build new lines (and probably even if you do) rail travel will still be very small compared to other forms of passenger transport.
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