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An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

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Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#151

Post by quickthrowman »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #25
adrianmonk wrote: post #11

I was curious how the package is loaded and unloaded, given that it's underground, but they seem to have some kind of crane, and at the destinations they have basically a package locker. At least, that's what the video seems to show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STZJyfAl5bU Putting a package locker at every location seems kind of expensive. Maybe it works if you're delivering to bigger buildings like offices or ap…

The cost of a package locker would pale in comparison to the cost of digging or boring the underground line.

Absolutely, directional boring and installing 18-24” diameter pipe is easily $75-100+ per foot.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#152

Post by carbotaniuman »

conductr wrote: post #112
keyboard_slap wrote: post #98

What problem is this system trying to solve? It seems to be, in this initial deployment, that the office park is too far away from the restaurants its employees want to visit, compelling them to drive there. I feel like a better solution would be permitting denser and mixed-use development, so employees can walk to their favorite restaurants on the ground floor instead of driving >1km to them or paying for a delivery…

I feel like comments like this always come up. Basically reducing it to, why not just become Manhattan? They want a solution for today, not decades from today which is what urban planning would take. But also they likely want the neighborhood they built/moved to. They don’t want to live in a super dense mixed use plaza. They also want solutions that the plethora of communities like theirs can replicate. They just wan…

You don't need to become Manhattan to have density and mixed-use? I used to work at a place with a restaurant next to it (allowed by a reduction of parking minimums). Guess where a lot of my fellow employees are?

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#153

Post by ianburrell »

adrianmonk wrote: post #11

I was curious how the package is loaded and unloaded, given that it's underground, but they seem to have some kind of crane, and at the destinations they have basically a package locker. At least, that's what the video seems to show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STZJyfAl5bU Putting a package locker at every location seems kind of expensive. Maybe it works if you're delivering to bigger buildings like offices or ap…

The described system is point-to-point from shopping center to office park. People in office park, that aren't closer to shopping center, would need to go to the hub to pick up their package.

It sounds like the company is focusing on company to suppliers. They mention networks but no details on that would be implemented.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#154

Post by HWR_14 »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #148
KaiserPro wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Long term it seems like it would be much cheaper than current last mile delivery yes, long term it might be cheaper, but to get to that long term you need to fund the huge upfront cost. Why as a consumer would you want a pipe to your door, as you are now reliant on a single company for all deliveries. if they suddenly turn shit, thats it, you're stuck with them. Its only really makes sense as a way for an uber dens…

> Why as a consumer would you want a pipe to your door, as you are now reliant on a single company for all deliveries. if they suddenly turn shit, thats it, you're stuck with them. How is this any different from phone lines, or cable, or water, or sewage, or electric? You can point out "yeah, and look at all the problems with those local-monopoly services!" but I think generally we've figured out how to provide those…

A common complaint people have is about their (landline) phone or cable company for the same local monopoly reasons. Comcast, etc. famously have high prices and bad customer service in the US.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#155

Post by sfifs »

keyboard_slap wrote: post #98

What problem is this system trying to solve? It seems to be, in this initial deployment, that the office park is too far away from the restaurants its employees want to visit, compelling them to drive there. I feel like a better solution would be permitting denser and mixed-use development, so employees can walk to their favorite restaurants on the ground floor instead of driving >1km to them or paying for a delivery…

The answer to this is actually very simple and used all over the world by shopping centres and shopping district associations. You just run a free loop bus for a few hours during lunch time to bring people to and from the shopping district. Even in the US I have seen airport hotels do this in NY, SF and LA. I wonder why the default answer in US is often not simple public transport.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#156

Post by yawnxyz »

dingnuts wrote: post #133
NegativeLatency wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Classic straw man argument, there's a pretty big difference from a walkable and incrementally more dense neighborhood and Manhattan. We're not going to tear down and rebuild everything all at once, it's going to take time and work to get us out of the massive car dependent hole we've dug for ourselves. It seems Atlanta has massively oversupplied (to it's own detriment) parking and prioritized space for cars, and negl…

Your quote only adds to the GP's point -- Atlanta is so far from being walkable that it will take half a century of very good urban planning before the problem solved by the article is solved in the way that would make the r/fuckcars posters that show up in every thread on this site about transportation would like it to be. People arguing that Atlanta should just permit "denser and mixed-use development, so employees…

Most people move to Atlanta for the burbs! They move away from dense cities like Manhattan to have a yard and some space, without having to pay a lot of money for it, but still be close enough to the city.

But the jobs are all in the city, and they all want to drive in, which is why traffic sucks and midtown/downtown is one big parking lot.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#157

Post by rayiner »

thorncorona wrote: post #117
cpursley wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you spent any time in Atlanta in August? Biking outside is not just biking, but also swimming - through the humidity. I don't mind it (avid all-season mountain biker) but most office workers wouldn't opt for that in their fancy office clothing just for a sandwich.

Seems to work fine for singapore / dc.

As an Asian being sweaty in the summer is the worst part. My dad grew up in Bangladesh (in a village with no AC) and now even Maryland is too much for his taste.

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#158

Post by aaron695 »

keyboard_slap wrote: post #98

What problem is this system trying to solve? It seems to be, in this initial deployment, that the office park is too far away from the restaurants its employees want to visit, compelling them to drive there. I feel like a better solution would be permitting denser and mixed-use development, so employees can walk to their favorite restaurants on the ground floor instead of driving >1km to them or paying for a delivery…

[dead]

Re: An underground delivery train comes to the Atlanta suburbs

#159

Post by chfalck »

sojournerc wrote: post #130
cpursley wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who don’t care to walk, I suppose.

No, I think it was generalizing an entire country of people with an "us" vs "them" tone

Yes. It’s especially interesting to hear people say this when some states in the US are larger than some countries in Western Europe. For example Texas is slightly larger than France, and Montana is slightly larger than Germany. Of course, crossing state boundaries in the US does not introduce you to as much diversity as crossing many country boundaries in Western Europe. However, when you consider there are 50 states in the US, it should be reasonable to understand there can be substantial differences in habits and lifestyle.
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