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The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

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Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#61

Post by seiferteric »

mc3 wrote: post #50
dv_dt wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this follows Elons pattern of being able to find areas where the fundamental technology has advanced and is available, but the integration and step up to a new level hasn't been invested in yet. I think the Boring company basically made more efficient custom built tunneling equipment.

Yeah OK, does anyone have the angle on that? Is there a new technology aspect here?

The big one I remember was to remove diesel engines from the machine and make it electric. This removes the problem of fumes. Did they do that?

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#62

Post by reaperducer »

neltnerb wrote: post #32
mdszy wrote: post #9

So they're halfway through digging the tunnel, not halfway through doing all the other things to make the tunnel actually as useful as musk is claiming. This all just seems like subways from first principles but probably worse.

Though if they really dug that much tunnel under a city in such a short time, maybe there's an actual innovation in a better way to make subway tunnels? I think putting cars in these tunnels is silly and that subways are obviously the best answer personally, but I'm also watching two new light rail lines being put in next to my house. It does not seem quick (though they're elevated). It'd be lovely if those tracks we…

Though if they really dug that much tunnel under a city in such a short time, maybe there's an actual innovation in a better way to make subway tunnels?

Don't believe the hype that this is "under a city." It's under a bunch of parking lots, which have little to zero underground utilities or other infrastructure.

It's not like they're burrowing under New York. But it might be good practice.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#63

Post by aaron695 »

mc3 wrote: post #41

ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something? Otherwise do I submit this to HN? https://www.sydneymetro.info/tunnelling . I think tunnels are the future though for cities. But I'd prefer trains to be running in them, or roads that only allow electric public transport. Edit. In 1988 they started work on the Channel Tunnel UK to France: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

> ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something?

Honestly as a 5 year old you are not going to get it.

This is multi levelled. Some people just like Elon. But what's really however interesting is how Elon is changing manufacturing. It's like a new Kanban

But it's not 5 year old stuff. I'd just say,

I know all the other kids like rockets and think they are cool to watch take off, but tunnels are pretty cool to watch too.... and so are processes but that's adult stuff for now kido (and give them a wink)

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#64

Post by astrodust »

aaron695 wrote: post #63
mc3 wrote: post #41

ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something? Otherwise do I submit this to HN? https://www.sydneymetro.info/tunnelling . I think tunnels are the future though for cities. But I'd prefer trains to be running in them, or roads that only allow electric public transport. Edit. In 1988 they started work on the Channel Tunnel UK to France: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

> ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something? Honestly as a 5 year old you are not going to get it. This is multi levelled. Some people just like Elon. But what's really however interesting is how Elon is changing manufacturing. It's like a new Kanban But it's not 5 year old stuff. I'd just say, I know all the other kids like rockets and think they are cool to wa…

So what you're saying is you can't explain it.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#65

Post by xeromal »

mc3 wrote: post #50
dv_dt wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this follows Elons pattern of being able to find areas where the fundamental technology has advanced and is available, but the integration and step up to a new level hasn't been invested in yet. I think the Boring company basically made more efficient custom built tunneling equipment.

Yeah OK, does anyone have the angle on that? Is there a new technology aspect here?

The idea is to make it 10x cheaper and 14x faster.

The boring company is more of a personal effort by Elon due to his hatred of LA traffic.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#66

Post by astrodust »

mc3 wrote: post #41

ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something? Otherwise do I submit this to HN? https://www.sydneymetro.info/tunnelling . I think tunnels are the future though for cities. But I'd prefer trains to be running in them, or roads that only allow electric public transport. Edit. In 1988 they started work on the Channel Tunnel UK to France: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

Elon's making bold claims about how he's going to disrupt the tunnelling industry but so far the results are unimpressive to say the least.

Tunnel boring is a complex, multi-faceted civil engineering discipline with a large number of well-funded firms that are aggressively competing and innovating. In this space Elon is utterly insignificant.

The ELI5 version is: "Elon thinks he can dig tunnels faster and cheaper than anyone else, but so he's failed to demonstrate he can create even one useful tunnel. The only reason he's doing this is because he hates traffic and thinks that driving in a private tunnel will make it easier to get to work on time."

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#67

Post by threeseed »

neltnerb wrote: post #32
mdszy wrote: post #9

So they're halfway through digging the tunnel, not halfway through doing all the other things to make the tunnel actually as useful as musk is claiming. This all just seems like subways from first principles but probably worse.

Though if they really dug that much tunnel under a city in such a short time, maybe there's an actual innovation in a better way to make subway tunnels? I think putting cars in these tunnels is silly and that subways are obviously the best answer personally, but I'm also watching two new light rail lines being put in next to my house. It does not seem quick (though they're elevated). It'd be lovely if those tracks we…

They didn't invent any new technologies.

And we understandably should be wary of any innovation in processes.

Because often it is just cutting corners for safety and reliability.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#68

Post by astrodust »

xeromal wrote: post #65
mc3 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah OK, does anyone have the angle on that? Is there a new technology aspect here?

The idea is to make it 10x cheaper and 14x faster. The boring company is more of a personal effort by Elon due to his hatred of LA traffic.

"Let's solve traffic by building more roads!"

Elon has a lot to learn about induced demand.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#69

Post by reaperducer »

ghaff wrote: post #25
jandrese wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds silly until you've walked from one end of the LVCC to the other.

The expansion of the LVCC made me vaguely curious about what types of shows use it given that all the IT shows I'm familiar with use the Venetian/Sands or, if they're a bit smaller, The Mandalay Bay. I haven't been there since Comdex days. It looks as if it's things like Kitchen and Bath Builders, World of Concrete, etc. So maybe things that are more oriented towards a mega show floor and less to speaking rooms.

what types of shows use it given that all the IT shows I'm familiar with use the Venetian/Sands

Here's the list of big conventions this year:

  CES: 175,000 people
  Automotive Aftermarket Show: 160,000
  ConExpo-Con/Agg: 129,000
  National Association of Broadcasters: 103,000
  MAGIC (fashion/makeup, I believe): 78,0000
  International Builders Show: 68,000
  Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trade Show: 61,000
  World of Concrete: 60,000
  National Mining Association: 50,000
  Las Vegas Market, Winter: 50,000
  Las Vegas Market, Summer: 50,000
  ASD Market Week Winter: 46,000
  Mr. Olympia: 45,000
  ASD Market Week Summer: 44,000
  Nightclub and Bar Show: 39,000
  Audiovisual and Integrated Experience: 38,000
  RECon: 37,000
Those are just the top attendees. There are many dozens more.

Of those I listed, only the Automotive Aftermarket show is also at the Sands.

The expansion isn't to handle larger shows, it's to handle more large shows simultaneously.

Also not listed is the NFR Rodeo which is big enough to be held at the UNLV stadium, plus the expo center, plus over a dozen hotels. I think that one is around 103,000 people.

Re: The Boring Company’s Las Vegas tunnel is nearly 50% done

#70

Post by threeseed »

dv_dt wrote: post #48
mc3 wrote: post #41

ELI5... why is digging a tunnel tech news? Does Elon dig them faster or more cheaply or something? Otherwise do I submit this to HN? https://www.sydneymetro.info/tunnelling . I think tunnels are the future though for cities. But I'd prefer trains to be running in them, or roads that only allow electric public transport. Edit. In 1988 they started work on the Channel Tunnel UK to France: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

I think this follows Elons pattern of being able to find areas where the fundamental technology has advanced and is available, but the integration and step up to a new level hasn't been invested in yet. I think the Boring company basically made more efficient custom built tunneling equipment.

Actually Musk leased an existing Canadian boring machine:

http://superexcavators.com/news/super-excavators-consult-mac...

There is no evidence of any improvements or innovations.

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