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First China-U.K. Freight Train Departs as Xi Seeks to Lift Trade

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Re: First China-U.K. Freight Train Departs as Xi Seeks to Lift Trade

#131

Post by crdoconnor »

jessaustin wrote: post #127
crdoconnor wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we're assuming that, say, Kazakhstan is the belligerent then yes. If it's the United States then trains across central Asia are harder to stop and require bombing a third country (unlike a shipping blockade which just requires a threat and which doesnt require pissing off a third party).

Any nation would be hard-pressed to unilaterally close the Strait of Malacca. Pirates might occasionally delay or steal individual shipments, but I doubt even Malaysia and Indonesia could close it down together, if by some miracle they could agree to do so. Egypt would have a better chance closing Suez, but that's one of their few remaining sources of foreign cash so it would really hurt. If for some reason USA wante…

The US could probably close down the straits to commercial shipping with one carrier group.

The US could certainly make a few payments to a poor dictator in Central Asia to stop a train unless, of course, that country was reliant upon that train for the flow of critical goods, in which case it would take more than a few payments.

Re: First China-U.K. Freight Train Departs as Xi Seeks to Lift Trade

#132

Post by Ericson2314 »

mikeash wrote: post #130
Ericson2314 wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm thinking if we built it train the size of a container ship and rolled it at 15 knots, it would probably be more efficient. But we won't, so I rest my case.

Yeah, I bet ship-sized trains would be more efficient. I think there may be some practical difficulties in building such things though.

Oh yeah definitely. Also cause scaling maybe making decent efficient bearings would be nigh impossible and it still would be less efficient.

I know a recreational motorboat is less efficient than a car by a lot, but...scaling.

Oh engineering with so many trade-offs and sad realities. I'm glad I work in a field of rediculous low-hanging fruit.

Re: First China-U.K. Freight Train Departs as Xi Seeks to Lift Trade

#134

Post by jessaustin »

crdoconnor wrote: post #131
jessaustin wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any nation would be hard-pressed to unilaterally close the Strait of Malacca. Pirates might occasionally delay or steal individual shipments, but I doubt even Malaysia and Indonesia could close it down together, if by some miracle they could agree to do so. Egypt would have a better chance closing Suez, but that's one of their few remaining sources of foreign cash so it would really hurt. If for some reason USA wante…

The US could probably close down the straits to commercial shipping with one carrier group. The US could certainly make a few payments to a poor dictator in Central Asia to stop a train unless, of course, that country was reliant upon that train for the flow of critical goods, in which case it would take more than a few payments.

Haha you would have fit right in with both of the last two USA Presidential regimes. All tactics, no strategy. No thought for "the morning after". If USA tried that kind of bullshit with a "carrier group", USA would lose a few ships if it were lucky. China, India, and Russia would leap at the chance to mix it up offshore with the big bully, only this time with the "support" of the entire world except Israel and possibly UK.
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