Live data from Hacker News

Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

spacex.com

111–120 of 202 posts

Re: Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

#111
post #88

Could someone buy land in the potential path of this hyperloop then block access or sell the rights or land to make a profit?

No, because of the principle of eminent domain, meaning the government of California can forcefully purchase the land for public use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain

Legally, whoever tried this would be forced to give over the land for "fair market value", and if they were difficult about it they'd probably receive much less.

Re: Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

#114
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, so would high explosives directly on the tube. I am considering a situation that could conceivably be accidental because it is incredibly difficult to engineer something that can stand up to malice.

The bar to malice is important to consider. If the bar is "high explosives or shaped charges", then you are probably okay. If the bar is "a redneck who is bored with shooting stop-signs", then that might be a problem.

Bored people don't shoot guns at trains today. Why would they start?

Re: Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

#115
Cool concept, but a 500 mile bridge? Elevated transportation routes are expensive [1,2,3]. The utopian dreams tend to give way to an ugly reality [4,5].

The $1 billion budget for land and rights of way also seems wildly optimistic for razing a path through multiple heavily populated metropolitan areas with astronomical real estate prices. And let's not underestimate the tenacity and ingenuity of a determined opposition [6,7].

[1] The 3.2 mile, mostly elevated [1a] BART/OAK connector with dinky little cable cars will cost $361mm for the capital construction alone[1b].

[1a] http://bart.gov/docs/oac/OAC%20Project%20Alignment%20Map%20S...

[1b] (slide 36) http://bart.gov/docs/oac/Microsoft%20PowerPoint%20-%20OAC%20...

[2] http://www.nationalaffairs.com/doclib/20080528_197905505cost...

[3] http://www-pam.usc.edu/volume2/v2i1a3s2.html

[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=DkZ...

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embarcadero_Freeway

[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_revolts#California

[7] http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/06/25/indianas-big-dig-raises... (this one is hilarious)

Re: Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

#119
post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On a bus you have the chance to get off every 5-10 minutes, that's a big difference. There will be thousands of passengers on that day. Just imagine if you have to do this trip 10 times a day every day for 100 days, will you still take risk? Update (since I've been downvoted): All these buses analogy isn't exactly the same case because they still have the option to stop somewhere, which give the passengers the assura…

You're thinking city buses. I'm thinking long-haul busses (like greyhound in the US). Greyhound buses likely have facilities, what I'm actually talking about are the buses used a core parts of the transportation infrastructure all over South America. Many of these also have facilities but I've been on many where the bathroom isn't functioning or just plain isn't there. You can easily travel for 30 minutes to an hour…

One of the most unpleasant (although memorable) experiences of my life was having to hold it for over an hour while sitting over the wheel well on a bumpy bus ride in the middle of Belize.

Re: Hyperloop Alpha [pdf]

#120
post #98
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

perhaps you can pour sections and truck those in, but there's no way in hell you're moving a precast that size on anything that doesn't float. For scale, you know those 4' by 4' by 8' blocks of cement you see all over the place, used for erosion control and the like? They're called ecology blocks, they're about $20 each FOB the cement plant. You want them shipped? A lowboy can carry two or four at a time without exce…

Ecology blocks: http://www.tworiverssandandgravel.com/wp-content/uploads/201...

They are also colloquially known as 'mafia blocks' for some reason...
Post reply on HN