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India Just Might Be Getting a Hyperloop (wired.com)

California may have produced the horrorshow traffic that prompted Elon Musk to pitch the hyperloop, but it's hardly the only place eager to ditch cars for levitating pods hurtling through tubes at speeds approaching the sound barrier. India wants in, too. From a report: Today, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, one of the companies formed to realize Musk's vision of tube travel, announced it has signed a deal with the state of Andhra Pradesh, in southeast India. Working with the state's economic development board, HTT will spend six months studying possible routes for a hyperloop connecting the cities of Vijaywada and Amaravati -- a move that would transform a 27-mile, hour-long drive into a six-minute whoosh. And then, over an undisclosed period of time, the Los Angeles-based company says it will build the thing. The India deal is just the latest for HTT, which also plans to build networks of tubes in South Korea, Slovakia, and Abu Dhabi. But to make all -- or any -- of that happen, the company's 800 engineers (most of whom have day jobs and work on this in their spare time, in exchange for stock options) must first master the practical aspects of the hyperloop. That means building and maintaining a near-vacuum state across miles of tubes, propelling levitating pods through them, getting people or cargo into and out of those pods, and much more.

149 comments

  1. Test-drive where life is cheap? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    Test-drive where life is cheap?

    And/or where you can sweep the peasants out of the way of progress.

    1. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But imagine the size of the cow-catcher!

    2. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by zlives · · Score: 1

      but only after you exploit them for cheap labor to build this pyramid.

    3. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by bored_lurker · · Score: 2

      Have you ever been to India? And in particular have you ever been to Andra Pradesh? Or are you just stereotyping a nation?

      I can tell you first hand that Andra Pradesh is a very different place from Deli, Mumbai, or Bangaluru (Bangalore). AP has a lot of very rural areas and getting from point A to point B is difficult because the roads are horrible (often dirt) and they have major issues when it rains (monsoon season) when the roads become mud.

      India also is a country that is trying to modernize and create new jobs based on technology. This increases the standard of living for everyone there. You see this in Bangaluru where there are first class shopping centers catering to the new wealthy who made their fortunes in high tech. Your concern for the "peasants" looks to be both biased and short sighted to me.

      --
      --- Tolerance is the axiomatic "virtue" of those without convictions ---
    4. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What about working toilets?

    5. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by rogoshen1 · · Score: 0

      are the designated shitting streets a real thing, and if so; which cities are they found in? (hopefully away from those first class shopping areas?)

    6. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      Have you ever been to India?... Or are you just stereotyping a nation? ... I can tell you first hand that Andra Pradesh ... has a lot of very rural areas and getting from point A to point B is difficult because the roads are horrible (often dirt) and they have major issues when it rains ....

      Sounds like he got it bang on then.

    7. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by bored_lurker · · Score: 2

      Is this what you are thinking of when you have india in mind?

      http://www.ubcitybangalore.in/

      --
      --- Tolerance is the axiomatic "virtue" of those without convictions ---
    8. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by Squiddie · · Score: 1

      We can do better than that. Call it the Hyper-loo.

    9. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How much annual holiday ("vacation") leave do you get in the US? Is it still two/three weeks for most of the work force?

      Third world, mate. Third world.

    10. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow you're right. Workers are cheap in USA...

      https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minimum_annual_leave_by_country
      "The average number of paid vacation days offered by private employers is 10 days after 1 year of service, 14 days after 5 years, 17 days after 10 years, and 20 days after 20 years"

      The most amazing part... the law sets no minimum! So you are only guaranteed at least ZERO days!

    11. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by robinsonne · · Score: 1

      1 week paid leave, which is better than quite a few people in the US who get no paid leave at all.

    12. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Or, test-drive where you don't have to wonder how to implement rail car toilets.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    13. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've lived in four western countries and always get 20-25 days from day one.

      Never knew US workers get so little, even after many years' service.

    14. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 0

      Not sure about shitting streets, but there appear to be designated corpse rivers.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    15. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

      That's right, mate. In America we still believe in work.

    16. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does having only two weeks off a year, as compared to six, in and of itself, make workers significantly more productive overall, over the course of a year?

    17. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Osgeld · · Score: 1

      seems like spending time, effort, and money into roads and drainage might be more realistic and useful

    18. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1 week for 4th of july, 2 for xmass, about another 2 scattered about for various holidays and 100 hours of vacation + one floating holiday

    19. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 1

      Americans make fun of Europeans for being lazy. It works both ways. Cultural differences are such that it looks silly to people on the other side. ;)

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    20. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm, I am in the US, have only worked two jobs since college 1 for ~10 years and the second for about 12 years so far. Both in the tech sector, one small company and one large.

      small company: started with 15 days (left with 17) vacation, 8 company holidays, and unlimited sick time(i.e. use when you need, don't abuse it, everyone is happy).

      large company: started with 17 days of PTO, 7 holidays + 3 floating days. now 20 days PTO, 7 holidays + 3 floaters. You can also "purchase" an additional 5 days or sell 5 days back a year depending on your preferences/circumstances. They also give some incentives/bonus options as PTO.

      Both of them let me roll over any unused time small could have up to 2x annual accrual banks, large is 3x annual. Right now I have 300+ hours banked but typically I burn more down in the fall.

      It doesn't seem that far off from most others on the list. My dad works in the facilities staff at a state university (i.e. Teamsters) where he has been for 30+ years and I think he gets almost 55 days of vacation a year + additional sick leave. But they crank it up after 30 years of service because most people are thinking retirement then.

    21. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't be ignorant. Here are some numbers.

      50% have plumbing. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-17362837

      25% are into agriculture. http://m.hindustantimes.com/india/how-many-farmers-does-india-really-have/story-431phtct5O9xZSjEr6HODJ.html

      Poverty is down to 25% and gdp is climbing at over 7% and life expectancy is near 70.
      https ://data.worldbank.org/country/india

      Yes, tremendous problems still remain but it isn't the hunter gatherer society you paint it as.

    22. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by jonnythan · · Score: 1

      Those people in rural India desperately need and can afford a Hyperloop to get from A to B.

    23. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Industrial revolutions are messy and polluting, so if you can avoid them with acceptable standards of living it's not a bad thing. Arguably, an industrial revolution is ongoing in India, concurrent with advanced manufacturing and post industrial developments. And it varies from state to state as well, as it is large and diverse.

    24. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by kcelery · · Score: 2

      A hyperloop is effectively a MagLev + vacuum tunnel.
      While in most countries, MagLev were proposed but not many were built. The
      main problem is not technology, it is the cost being prohibitive.

      Now adding the vacuum tunnel part will make it more efficient and expensive.
      So, is it gonna work? Ask the accountant.

      The Chinese High Speed rail had done a lot of weight-lifting in moving people around,
      but their system is still heavily in Red. They have a crazy govt who wants to achieve a
      high GDP. So in the end, someone will foot the bill.

    25. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean you believe in being worked. Just who do you think is benefiting from this amazing 'work ethic'?

    26. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      The pyramids weren't built with cheap labour. The labour was paid the going rate in beer and bread and mostly worked on the Pyramid while their farm lands were flooded by the "Inundation" of the Nile.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    27. Re: Test-drive where life is cheap? by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

      Done in moderation and allowing for individual variation, it will make you about 8% more productive. In the aggregate. You know, 'cuz 4/50 = 8/100. People tend to understand that. Which is why even folks with more generous vacation time tend not to take them unless they have a bona fide emergency. I have more than six weeks vacation a year. I let it pile up because I'd rather spend that time getting my job done. So do most white collar and salaried people. Hourly people have an even stonger incentive. What you Eurolovers tend to misunderstand is that people here work harder because they want to, not because they have to.

    28. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

      We all do. More work = bigger economy = more wealth = more prosperity for all. How the hell do you think we're still the richest (and the richest per-capita large nation) on Earth after forty years of globalization? On paper, all of that should have gone away to China and India and Mexico and Central America by now, but it hasn't.

    29. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by zlives · · Score: 1

      you clearly did not watch the historical documentaries from that time :)

    30. Re:Test-drive where life is cheap? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      No, I studied the archaeology. If I've got that, why would I get a TV to watch crap documentaries written to sell advertising time in a hyper-religious country?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  2. Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Seems like this would be prone to terrorism. A small bomb, an explosive decompression, and several hundred inside-out corpses hurtling at supersonic speeds uncontrollably.

    1. Re:Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Obligatory counterpoint since this idiocy comes up in every thread about hyperloops.

    2. Re:Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      A lot of things are "prone to terrorism", stadiums, trains, buses, commercial air travel, large buildings, etc and yet we still build/use them. Abandoning all progress because of a 1 in 20 million chance of something happening is a little like banning all international travel/trade because "someday" a super-flu could traverse those routes as well. Simply minimize the risks where possible, prosecute those who commit/support such acts and move on with your life instead of cowering in a corner from the bogie man.

    3. Re:Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who said anything about cowering in a corner? Thinking about the possible vulnerabilities (to terrorists, hacking, weather, what have you) is a perfectly sane and smart thing to do. If you hit a show-stopper problem that cannot be solved and is reasonably likely to occur then, quite simply, the method of travel is not feasible.

    4. Re:Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Simply minimize the risks where possible. . .

      Rejecting over-engineered, massively expensive and largely nonsensical projects like hyperloop is a sound risk management strategy. The same reason Musk want's to build these things, i.e. a monument to his own ego, will attract people who think they can make a big name for themselves by destroying it.

    5. Re:Easily sabotaged by Luthair · · Score: 1

      Maybe you should watch this video.

      All the problems of deep space travel, bought down to the surface of the planet, such that you can travel about the speed of a bullet within a couple of cm of a gun barrel.

    6. Re:Easily sabotaged by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Clearly that chemist hasn't seen the video in GP.

  3. Hyperpoop problem is higher priority by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, you can get from Chennai to Mumbai in 10 minutes, then get out and step in a pile of poop.

  4. A fun ride by OYAHHH · · Score: 3, Funny

    But exactly how do you manage to hang on to the roof of a hyperpod at 1,000 MPH?

    --
    Caution: Contents under pressure
    1. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Borrow a grappling hook from a nearby call center.

    2. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      racist cunt.

    3. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, the good news is that it's easy to hang on because there's no air. That's also the bad news.

    4. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Racist? I am certain that Indians are not the only culture to ride on the roofs of vehicles, you stupid fuck.

    5. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But exactly how do you manage to hang on to the roof of a hyperpod at 1,000 MPH?

      ... and in a vacuum, and in a tunnel?

      Huh! The answer is the captcha: skills

    6. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a dipshit, Donald lover.

    7. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      DESIGNATED POO LOOP

    8. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Only an SJW thinks that pointing out a true fact is racist.

    9. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well I am an Indian and I find it hilarious. Chill out man... [http://www.businessinsider.in/These-photos-of-Indias-overcrowded-railways-will-make-you-grateful-for-your-commute/articleshow/51181281.cms]

    10. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Suction cups!

    11. Re:A fun ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Says the AC.

  5. Hyperloop? How about paved roads... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd rather have well maintained roads than some dream of a 6min "whoosh".

    I've seen cases whereby highways were stopped because of some temple or other religious building in the way.

    1. Re:Hyperloop? How about paved roads... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Sorry mom, but the mob has spoken. Hyperloop, Hyperloop, Hyperlooooop, Hyperloop."

      "Hyper... d'oh"

  6. A concept with dealbreakers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At the moment, carrying out a terrorist attack is somewhat difficult.

    What if all you needed was a .50cal bullet, a short tube, a spring and an ice cube to use as a basic delay mechanism? Point it at the hyperloop somewhere in the wilderness, and there you go. Can someone actually confirm whether the result would be a huge loss of life?

    Any alternatives? Well, you could always make it underground. Like, a tube, with capsules passing through, just under the ground.

    1. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by OYAHHH · · Score: 1

      I think you are being far too conservative with your imagination. What is to really keep someone inside a hyperpod from doing the same?

      There is always someone willing to give up their life to end other's lives.

      --
      Caution: Contents under pressure
    2. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      At the moment, carrying out a terrorist attack is somewhat difficult.

      No it isn't. It's really, really easy.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    3. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by Immerman · · Score: 1

      >Can someone actually confirm whether the result would be a huge loss of life?

      I can't think of any way in which it would be. Either you punch a hole in the tube into which air rushes, slowing down the approaching cars inside, or worst case (probably requiring shoddy corner-cutting construction) the shock of impact causes a structural failure, and a that short section of the tube crumples.

      The latter would be a danger to the next approaching car, which would have to slow down fast enough to avoid hitting the wreckage. If they failed, then you might lose everyone aboard that car - call it 10-20 people. Tragic, but not really a huge loss of life. The only way you'd have a worse problem is if the tube repressurized too slowly to stop the subsequent cars - and one would hope that the tube is wired with sensors and rapidly repressurizes in the case of any such problem.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    4. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but they're usually aiming for more than a single small busload, and very limited options for defending against such a small risk cost-effectively.

      And there's a lot more people willing to kill other people to make a statement, especially if they thing they can avoid getting caught, than are willing to kill themselves in the process.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    5. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know what gun control is like in India, but no matter where you are .50 cal is damned conspicuous to carry unless you go with that crazy Desert Eagle pistol that's so hard to control. Besides, it's India. There are dense packs of people in a lot of places. Why bother with exotic weapons when you could just ignite a petrol bomb in a crowded market?

      Aside from that, if the tube isn't underground it will probably be surrounded by a steel-reinforced concrete shell. Even if not completely surrounded, it would be supported from underneath and likely elevated in some areas, making it impossible to fire upon from the ground. You won't be able to walk up to it and shoot point-blank. They'll have fences.

    6. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by OYAHHH · · Score: 1

      > And there's a lot more people willing to kill other people to make a statement, especially if they thing they can avoid getting caught, than are willing to kill themselves in the process

      I think we are both correct. Have a great day!

      --
      Caution: Contents under pressure
    7. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by OYAHHH · · Score: 1

      Elevated is generally nothing that will stop a rented trackhoe.

      --
      Caution: Contents under pressure
    8. Re: A concept with dealbreakers by guruevi · · Score: 1

      You're woefully uninformed about vacuum tubes. Stack a car on a soda can, then make a dent in the can. See what happens. Now stack a bunch of soda cans, make a dent in one see what happens.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    9. Re:A concept with dealbreakers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll have fences.

      Mark my words, Mexico will pay for them.

    10. Re: A concept with dealbreakers by Immerman · · Score: 1

      You're overlooking one VERY major detail - there are no substantial axial forces on the Hypertube to transmit failure down it's length, only an inwards crushing force on all sides, which it is specifically designed to withstand.

      Any catastophic loss of structural integrity and the sides crumple in to the middle. There's no forces to transmit down the length of the tube, so the problem won't spread far. To the nearest expansion joint at the furthest.

      What will happen that could spread is that a high-speed column of inrushing air will rush down the tube in both directions, and if it builds up enough momentum that column of air could hit a dead end or obstacle like a stopped car like so many tons of bricks, rapidly building pressure until the tube explodes. So you'd need emergency pressure relief hatches Fortunately that's easy to do, and they can even double as emergency escape and/or maintenance access hatches.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    11. Re: A concept with dealbreakers by guruevi · · Score: 1

      I haven't seen any design yet beyond a single tube however the problem I wanted to demonstrate are not necessarily axial forces, the problem is that ANY failure of ANY portion will cause cascading failures. Even if you suddenly collapse a single tube due to loss of integrity of that tube (eg. metal fatigue or a puncture) the force, regardless of how it propagates (eg. you say inwards so let's go with that) will rip off the expansion joint which would cause major damage to the next tube which in turn collapses etc.

      For a failure to stop propagating you would have to pressurize the ENTIRE tube to atmospheric pressure BEFORE the cascading failure reaches the next tube. However pressurizing that fast, as you correctly observed, will cause a giant pressure wave to hit every car and accelerate them down the tube until the forces hit equilibrium (or a wall for that matter) and the pressure wave from air rushing in uncontrollably (which would be very, very cold, instantly freezing every tube it passes - a quick change from baking in the hot California sun all day) would come from the other end eventually those two waves would be hitting each other somewhere in the middle unless, again, you can get rid of all that energy somewhere in between.

      A little pressure relief/escape hatch isn't going to work, everyone in the tunnel while it is still under vacuum would either freeze to death from the inrushing air or just fly away, most likely, the pressure relief valves would freeze themselves - a problem often observed in ... high pressure environments. MRI's have the same kind of problem although somewhat inverted, when an MRI fails, the huge pressure wave from the expanding Helium gasses, force down every door, freeze the room and even though huge pressure relief valves are present, they generally freeze before they even full open.

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    12. Re: A concept with dealbreakers by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Axial forces are the only thing that are going to cause cascading failure in a tube. And they aren't present, so there will be no cascading failures.

      If the tube collapses radially inwards, it still won't shorten substantially. At worst it rips free of the expansion joints, at which point damage stops - the expansion joints are there *precisely* to isolate the immense axial forces that would otherwise be created as the tubes change length through thermal expansion and contraction. Even if the collapse of one section was extremely violent, the give in the expansion joints would prevent any sudden shocks from being transmitted to the next tube over.

      And even that ignores the fact that the tubes almost certainly would *not* collapse when damaged in the first place. They're designed *specifically* to avoid such a result - that's their entire reason for existing. May as well shoot the bottom of a skyscraper and expect it to collapse.

      Try this - put a garden hose under vacuum (fill it partway with water, seal it tightly, then raise one end) . Then squeeze a section to get it to collapse. The collapse may spread a short distance, but nowhere near the length of the hose. Or do the opposite - a soda can at room temperature is at roughly 1.5 atmospheres above ambient pressure. Poke a hole in it and it should explode, right? Or shoot a hole in an air tank pressurized to only 14psi - you'll get a lovely air jet, but no catasrophic failure.

      And your comments on the wind are just ridiculous - unless the air is freezing, nobody is going to freeze. Wind chill is a perceptual thing, not a real one, it doesn't show up on a thermometer, it won't kill you, it just speeds up energy transfer by disrupting the envelope of warmer air near your skin. Your helium example is unrelated - it's already insanely cold because it's a liquid being used as a coolant for the superconducting magnet coils, and is stored as a liquid at close to absolute zero (helium boils at 4*K, -452.2*F), and absorbs an *immense* amount of heat as it boils (just like water at 100*C takes 5x as much energy to turn into steam as it does to heat it from 0*C t 100*C). It's rather fun to play with (I did some superconducter research in college), but extremely dangerous.

      A better example is to go into any shop with air tools, borrow a blower attachment, and blow some air across your hand. That air is probably stored at over 100psi, so about 7 atmospheres above ambient, a far more dramatic pressure difference than between ambient and vacuum. And it might feel be a little chilly. Probably no worse than standing in front of a powerful fan.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  7. The problem with mass transit by Topwiz · · Score: 1

    The designers of this system don't take into account the time it takes to park your car, walk to the station, wait in line to get on the next pod, get off at the destination station, and use some other means of transportation to get to the location your want to be. If all that takes more than 54 minutes then you really aren't saving any time.

    1. Re:The problem with mass transit by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      And that's why no-one uses trains, right? And why no train station has a car park?

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:The problem with mass transit by Topwiz · · Score: 1

      But with a regular train, the users are taking these delays into account. They need to make the same calculation for the hyperloop.

    3. Re:The problem with mass transit by chispito · · Score: 1

      And that's why no-one uses trains, right? And why no train station has a car park?

      Or a bus route that goes to and from the train station.

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    4. Re:The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The GP's comment is silly, but there is a kernel of truth: over short distances, truly high speed transportation makes no sense since fixed-time things become dominant. This is why flying 200 km is silly: you spend more time getting on and off planes and getting to and from airports than actually on the airplane.

      This is basically true for the Hyperloop in general. For short- or mid-scale journeys (up to ~500 km), you in general gain no benefit from going faster than maybe 250 km/h, about that of a reasonably fast conventional train, since getting to and from stations (or highway on-ramps or airports or whatever) becomes comparable at that point and you fractionally gain little from increased speed. I live in the Bay Area and travel frequently to LA. Because of this effect, driving takes only ~20% longer than flying, despite the plane's speed being 10x higher than my car. And my destinations are even near the airport on both ends!

      Leaving aside any issues with whether Hyperloop makes any sense from an engineering point of view, designing a system that covers these distances ultra-fast but can only stop at the endpoints probably means that the average journey would take *longer* than on a conventional train operating in the 200 km/h range. For the 50 km journey in this article, it wouldn't even need to go that fast: 100 km/h would probably do as well.

    5. Re:The problem with mass transit by Nutria · · Score: 1

      And people need to get into the city at the destination, not just end the hyperloop (what's the loop part?) at the outskirts of the city.

      --
      "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    6. Re: The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That is way hyperloop pods should also be (autonomous) cars that pick you up, drive to the hyperloop entrance, zip through the tube and takes you to your destination.

      To make a electric car hyperloop capable, you need to add halbach arrays of permanent magnets for the lift, a linear induction motor for the drive and a pressure cabin. None of these components should be very expensive.

    7. Re:The problem with mass transit by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      Actually most people who are using a train are not coming with a car and are not leaving with a car.

      Your parent simply has no idea how public transport works in civilized countries.

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    8. Re:The problem with mass transit by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      The hyperloop will have several, probably plenty, of exits in the _center_ of the city, and not in the outskirts.

      It is not a plane, it is a train!

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    9. Re:The problem with mass transit by Viol8 · · Score: 1

      I don't know about other countries, but in the UK station car parks are full with people parking in residential side streets too. Commuting by car then train is extremely common, mainly because of horrendous in-city traffic jams, lack of city parking spaces and if you do find a space it'll cost you more per day than travelling in by train anyway.

    10. Re:The problem with mass transit by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Wait times are unlikely to be especially long - that's one of the appeals of hyperloop over trains - small independent cars means you can send them as often as the traffic demands, and you only have to wait for 10-20 people to accumulate to fill a car.

      As for endpoint transportation - India could actually be good for that. Scooters are quite popular as a primary means of transportation, and are small and light enough to take with you if the car were designed for it.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    11. Re:The problem with mass transit by Nutria · · Score: 1

      How are current HSTs scheduled? (I'm betting it's not like how the hyperloop proponents promise how things will be.)

      --
      "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    12. Re:The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The hyperloop will have several, probably plenty, of exits in the _center_ of the city, and not in the outskirts.

      It is not a plane, it is a train!

      No freaking way these things make local stops. That would compound both the expense and the time-inefficiencies of swapping in/out passengers, acceleration, deceleration etc.

      They are, effectively, more like plane than a subway. Except they are locked into a much narrower set of routes, and one problem mid-route will cripple the entire system.

    13. Re:The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually most people who are using a train are not coming with a car and are not leaving with a car.

      Your parent simply has no idea how public transport works in civilized countries.

      Except, of course those stations with huge parking lots all around them. Maybe not all stations and users are exactly like your neighbors.

    14. Re: The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're on the planning board and this has been decided and agreed signed off by the cities already?

    15. Re: The problem with mass transit by Megol · · Score: 1

      Or one could start with a dog instead giving a cheaper product.

    16. Re:The problem with mass transit by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      I think what he means is that people don't load their car onto a goods van and take it with them, nor do they have two cars - one at each end.

      Though to be honest he's a complete fucking loon so who knows.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    17. Re:The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wait times are unlikely to be especially long - that's one of the appeals of hyperloop over trains - small independent cars means you can send them as often as the traffic demands, and you only have to wait for 10-20 people to accumulate to fill a car.

      Unfamiliar with the concept of India, are we? Wait times won't be caused by lack of people waiting around. Wait times will be caused by the fact that the total number of cars that it would take to cram the line from end-to-end are constantly filled to the capacity of the cars, and far beyond the capacity of endpoints to handle the traffic. This will be one more lane of bumper-to-bumper traffic moving at a crawl.

    18. Re:The problem with mass transit by Immerman · · Score: 1

      I would be truly impressed if they could make a first generation Hyperloop affordable enough for the massed crowds of India. I hope you are proven correct.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    19. Re:The problem with mass transit by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      look, the 27 miles takes 1 hour due to traffic.

      the obvious solution would be A NORMAL HIGH SPEED TRAIN as it is only 27 miles.

      or a highway.

      either way, both of them would be cheaper.. but musk is pitching it as cheaper than the train.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    20. Re:The problem with mass transit by Immerman · · Score: 1

      There's a reason musk is pitching it as cheaper than a train - if it can work as he envisions, it will be. Substantially. Trains need incredible foundation work the entire length of the track to support the huge concentrated loads - just a low speed siding typically costs about 2 million dollars per mile to build. High speed rail is far more expensive, even in China it averages about 30 million per mile.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    21. Re:The problem with mass transit by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      Depends if they are national or trans national.
      They have a long distance schedule, e.g. Stuttgart to Hamburg. Stuttgart to Berlin. Munich to Berlin.
      On the overlapping parts the trains have something like an ever 20mins schedule.
      To concrete destinations, e.g. Hamburg it is every two hours, and alternating the other hours to Berlin. That means from Stuttgart till Mannheim those trains go hourly. Plus all the trains that come from Stuttgart via Mannheim but go elsewhere.

      A hyperloop would work different. Not sure if they imagine switch points in a tunnel. But I simply would have a main transport tunnel and at destinations dozens of access points that connect to the main transport tunnel. Instead of a huge central station, I mean.

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    22. Re:The problem with mass transit by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      No, I mean: most people don't use a car.
      They use public transport (to get to the train station).

      And if one would park in the neighbourhood, like your parent suggested, his car would be gone when he comes back from the trip.

      Your loony comment escapes me ... if I was lunatic, the voices in my mind would tell me, don't you think so?

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    23. Re:The problem with mass transit by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      What a fortunate coincidence!

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    24. Re: The problem with mass transit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Systems of small pods on elevated tracks have been available as prototypes for around thirty years, which would have similar low foundation requirements. Probably lower, as inch thick steel tubes are not weightless. Sure, the time for transit would be more than six minutes, but it would be shorter than an hour, and branching and maintenance likely much less, and probably construction cost. And it is known to work.

      Having said that, even basic light rail run along suitably segregated existing roads might be even more cost effective.

    25. Re: The problem with mass transit by Immerman · · Score: 1

      The scary thing is, lightrail costs have ballooned to $50-100 million per mile in the US. Go figure. I can't think of any reason other than pork and incompetence.

      For raw cost effectiveness, dedicated bus lanes are probably as good as it gets - you've got to have a seriously busy bus line before even low-cost lightrail makes financial sense. But that's probably not flashy or porky enough for most politicians.

      --
      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  8. I've seen how they ride trains there by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is hilarious.

  9. Make sense to do it there by rmullig2 · · Score: 1

    They can force the lower castes to ride it until they get the kinks worked out.

    1. Re:Make sense to do it there by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called 'doing the needful'.

    2. Re: Make sense to do it there by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Git her done.

  10. reply to the topic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hey i agree with you
    zybermedia.net

    1. Re:reply to the topic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  11. Well if there is one place that needs it.. by butchersong · · Score: 1

    Commutes in and through Indian cities are as I understand presently.. painful would I think be an accurate summary. That and a developing country will not have the miles of red tape and bureaucracy that has developed over the centuries in the US.

    1. Re:Well if there is one place that needs it.. by TheSync · · Score: 2

      a developing country will not have the miles of red tape and bureaucracy that has developed over the centuries in the US

      Poor countries are poor because they have MORE red tape and bureaucracy than rich countries.

      India is rated 130th in Ease of Doing Business Index, and 185th specifically in dealing with construction permits.

      The United States ranks 8th in doing business overall and 39th for dealing with construction permits, for example.

    2. Re:Well if there is one place that needs it.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      With a little green all the red tape goes away

    3. Re: Well if there is one place that needs it.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The statistics you cite are a combination of red tape and the level of quality and funding of the systems to operate it. For example, the UK rates very well on business ratings as, despite huge amounts of red tape, the bureaucratic systems to deal with it are relatively efficient.

      In terms of your contention about red tape leading to poverty of a country, it is multifactorial. Many gulf states were poor due to a lack of natural resources, for example, until oil became valuable. Nigeria is experiencing a boom for much the same reason. 10,000 years ago in Australia the level of red tape was low, but the standard of living wasn't high. 1000 years ago the level of red tape in China was intense, but the country prosperous compared to Europe.

    4. Re: Well if there is one place that needs it.. by TheSync · · Score: 1

      You are correct - "red tape" is really about the combination of regulations and the effectiveness of officials to enforce it. In poor countries, there are lots of regulations and lots of corrupt officials who want a bribe to give you a permit to do anything.

      There is no poor country that does well on the Doing Business Index or Index of Economic Freedom. Poor countries would benefit from de-regulation, at least until they can afford to do the regulation efficiently.

      It is true that there are outlier countries where intense extractive mineral wealth has provided poverty reduction, but it is not sustainable. You eventually run out of the minerals. High levels of business regulation will keep that wealth from being used for effective economic development of other industries.

      That said, it should be noted that Saudi Arabia still does better on the overall Doing Business Index than India (96 vs. 130 overall) and does much better than India on Dealing with Construction Permits (15 verse 185).

  12. Re: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and they have people they are willing to test on... If it is like their rocket problems, it will be only a few deaths, and if the deaths are untouchables: who will care?

  13. Please stop Musk/Future transportation synonymous by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

    Any city or government that's serious about it can make it happen. It's about money and will power, not having some "boy wonder" design it for you.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  14. Not going to hapen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is not going to happen. Center is not going to approve the project.

    Andhra Pradesh (AP) state proposed Metro rail project (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayawada_Metro_Rail),
    but not happened (http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rs-6-800-cr-vijayawada-metro-hits-roadblock-centre-questions-financial-viability/story-A5YkBFLxtpEDOflpi49xrJ.html).

    Also, AP state has revenue problems after bifurcation (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/revenue-deficit-infrastructure-challenges-for-new-andhra-pradesh-post-bifurcation/articleshow/50263393.cms)(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Revenue-deficit-infrastructure-challenges-for-new-Andhra-Pradesh/articleshow/50264033.cms).
    This problem still exists. (http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2017/aug/13/andhra-pradesh-revenue-deficit-shocker-after-shocker-from-centre-to-state-1642493--1.html).

    In my opinion waste of money and time at this time.

  15. Toilets FOR FUCK SAKE TOILETS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    india needs to do what it actually fucking needs, every place i've been in India was the most disgusting place i'd ever been.

    Space program CHECK
    Hyperlook CHECK
    Not shitting in the streets anymore like filthy fucking dogs.... well that can wait

  16. Bathrooms? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will it have toilets or does one just shit out the window?

    1. Re:Bathrooms? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's fine, but it's nicer to shit in the nearest river or city street.

  17. Hyperpoo in the Hyperloo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll believe it when I see it.

  18. sedrfg by ziomek · · Score: 0

    wow erdgtfhygjhuk LV

  19. Bacteriophages by HBI · · Score: 1

    I suppose this explains why the Ganges is full of really interesting bacteriophages.

    --
    HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
  20. Another Communist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Evil, totalitarian retards messaging from mommy's basement are dime a dozen these days.

    Rant at your local Antifa get-together, will you? Or did mommy not wash your black mask?

    1. Re:Another Communist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your trailer is flooding, Jed.

  21. Thats probably true, but this isn't the answer by Viol8 · · Score: 1

    Underground metro systems are a tried and tested solution that have worked well since the 19th century. Using a vacuum tube and maglev instead of steel wheels on rails doesn't bring much to the table other than a high top speed, which for a metro is pretty useless anyway unless you don't plan on having intermediate stops. The ONLY thing the hyperloop brings is a windfall for construction companies and ditto for Musk if he holds the patents.

  22. Solving the wrong problem by AlanObject · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I haven't been to India for decades and there is a reason for that. The place horrifies me. Even the "nice" parts.

    I am all in favor of any effort to make the country sane and habitable but I just don't see making something like the Hyperloop will help any but the top 1%

    Go on youtube and look for videos to see what train rides in India are like for commuters. What trains they do have are reasonably serviceable but are way overtaxed. You have swarms of tens of thousands of people crammed onto platforms designed to max out at maybe a thousand all trying to cram themselves onto trains that are over capacity by at least 2x. And a mob waiting outside the station.

    The stench of sweaty bodies must be epic. I'm happy to say I haven't experienced it myself.

    The Hyperloop even if the most optimistic projection helps this how? By squirting a pod of 30 people (crammed with 100 no doubt) even 10-15 minutes? Don't make me laugh.

    Instead they should upgrade and add to their existing rail infrastructure. The local population is obviously willing to use it. I would bet money that 99.9% of them would prefer a 30-minute clean ride on an available comfortable seat with air conditioning as opposed to a 6-minute woosh in an over capacity system that probably would not be available to them anyway at any reasonable cost.

    Show me the numbers that say HyperLoop could solve the problem they really have there rather than the Gee-Whiz space technology fantasy some geek has and I will be in favor of it. I haven't seen those numbers and I doubt they exist.

    Disclosure: I am an Elon Musk fanboi.

    1. Re:Solving the wrong problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "But mainstreet is all cracked and broke"

      "Sorry mom, but the mob has spoken"

    2. Re:Solving the wrong problem by k6mfw · · Score: 1

      sounds like the USA... I see hyperloop same as SST aircraft. Fast and impressive but not scalable to be useful for large numbers of people.

      --
      mfwright@batnet.com
    3. Re:Solving the wrong problem by jma05 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Who the heck modded the parent up?

      > Go on youtube and look for videos to see what train rides in India are like for commuters.

      Which states are they from? And what is the state in question?

      Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are states that send a good chunk of the engineers to US. Most of videos of chaos you see are from middle and North of India. The southern states produce engineers, launch record breaking space missions etc. The state of Andhra Pradesh (the one in the article) has an airport that is more modern and more stylish than any US airport. Trump wasn't kidding.

      India is better viewed as an EU of sorts, except by developing country standards, rather than a single country. There are a variety of states, with their own languages, cultures and politics, but with a common monetary system and a higher governance structure. They are all at different stages of development.

      Most Americans have no clue about India. They cannot name any states or languages. They see it as an amorphous country, only barely thinking of it when some spectacle that is hardly representative of the country is highlighted in news. Same with China, Iran etc.

      For a country the size of India, you can find instances of just about any kind of chaos and just about any kind of hope. When the sample size is massive, don't make a case out of anecdotes and worse, conjectures. Rather ask, what percent of trains travel like the way you describe. Rather few, I would say. Of course, only the spectacles make the news and views. But that isn't a balanced view of the country.

      I have traveled in India. I have traveled in buses where I could place just one foot inside and I have traveled in luxury buses that would match US offerings. I have traveled in trains like you imagine and in comfortable air-conditioned coaches with meal services. Hyperloop, if it comes to fruition, would be a luxury offering and would be run well enough. My doubts are different. Plans are prematurely advertised in India. I would not pay too much stock in any early announcement.

      The state of Andhra Pradesh recently split and will be needing a new capital in a few years. The government's vision is to build a capital on modern principles, from ground up. Nearly all Indian cities organically grew over centuries making it hard to inject modern infrastructure. This is seen as a unique opportunity. The state has partnered with Japan to build the city out of nothing.

      I'd say you don't understand India much at all. Also, you admit you have not been in India in decades. Do you have any idea how much India and China have advanced in the last few decades? You would not recognize the cities much today.

  23. Slashdot needs a 'racist' moderation tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It seems like any article about India brings out the creeps.

    1. Re:Slashdot needs a 'racist' moderation tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why not a lot more adjectives? /. seems stuck in the early 2000s, without any changes (/. beta does not count).

    2. Re:Slashdot needs a 'racist' moderation tag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Every negative comment so far has been about India's status as a third world country, general lack of sanitation, etc. - what racism are you referring to?

  24. Perfect idea by jandrese · · Score: 2

    If a Hyperloop ever gets built it will definitely be one of the most expensive forms of transportation available, at least if they're doing anything even remotely similar to Musk's original cocktail napkin. It seems like they might struggle on the uptake in a country with such a low median income. On the other hand, they don't have the Dubai problem where everybody already drives cars and everything is paved. There is a potential market in India, just as long as it connects some presidental suburb with the government buildings where they work so they can ignore the systemic transportation problems in the city.

    --

    I read the internet for the articles.
    1. Re:Perfect idea by LordMatt · · Score: 1

      You are right that in the beginning it might be quite expensive. But like all technology it will get cheaper with time. Also we didn't have any progress in methods of transportation for decades. Yes there are eco friendly cars and self driving cars are coming soon, but it's still over 100 hundred all idea. Jetpacks would be nice, but i doubt we will ever get them. Small, portable locomotion machines are not useful enough.I'm really interested in hyperloop because it is new and kinda revolutionary idea. In such a fast growing population as in India it will find very quickly its use.I guess we will see its effect soon.

  25. Next one should be about the USA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I hope the next hyperloop item will be about the USA. I'm sure everyone will be highly amused by my jokes about land whales, ammosexuals, and stupidity.

  26. Hyperloop? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What they could use is a hyperloo!

  27. India Needs Toilets by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First a place to put the poop,
    Then maybe look at hyperloop.

    1. Re:India Needs Toilets by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 1

      Burma Shave

      --
      I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  28. "800" Engineers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How do they count if they don't do any work and aren't paid?
    If this is a real company why don't they have an actual staff?

  29. Of course it will by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 1

    The Indian government is always present in the me-too pissing contests. However, when it comes to providing basic services to the more than 600 million Indian citizens without access to them, the Indian government is consistently uninterested to become a me-too.

    1. Re: Of course it will by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's some education needed about India.

      Do you realize how hard it is to lift 1.2B people who were robbed blind by the Brits for 200 years? India went from having 25% of world gdp to being 3rd world in 200 years. In 70 years it has brought itself to 2.2 trillion gdp, less than 25 % poverty, 70% primary education, and 70 year life expectancy and 7% gdp growth. A lot remains to be done but look at some graphs. Even China with its authoritarian government can only grow so fast. India is a democracy with all its attendant politics and corruption. It will get there. Educate yourself a bit.

  30. Trublaini by avgapon · · Score: 0

    A Ukrainian-Soviet writer Mykola Trublaini foresaw ("invented", in a certain sense) a hyperloop-ish concept in his novel The Deep Path ("Glibinniy shlyah" in an approximate transliteration). Trublaini's idea had an interesting twist, his vacuumed tunnel was a straight line from one point on the surface of the Earth to another. And given that the Earth's surface is a sphere (an imperfect one), if those points are far enough, then it's possible to take advantage of the Earth's gravitation to travel between those points in a pendulum-like fashion.

    And, indeed, the best place to build such a path is a country that stretches for thousands of kilometers. Just like the USSR of Trublaini's time or the modern day Russia in the east-west dimension or India in the north-south dimension. Building such a tunnel would be, of course, an immense undertaking. But it is not impossible as long as the tunnel is not too close to the mantle :-) So, unfortunately, no Rio de Janeiro - Tokyo express or a US - Australia link.

    P.S. In the Trublaini's novel the deep path was used to quickly transfer troops and materiel from the European part of the USSR to its Far East territories to the surprise of the Japan militarists who were about to invade the USSR. The novel was written just before the WWII broke out.

    P.P.S. Trublaini was killed on a front line in 1941, he was a war correspondent at the time.

    P.P.P.S. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much information about Trublaini in English.

  31. Re:Please stop Musk/Future transportation synonymo by epyT-R · · Score: 1

    Power? India can't even keep the power on 24/7. I don't see how they'll be able to run a hyperloop.

  32. Asphyxiating Ride on Top by njhunter · · Score: 0

    Might cut down on the number of people riding atop the rail cars in India.

  33. 27 mile, an hour commute so 27mph commute by BLToday · · Score: 1

    So as we call it in SoCal, light traffic. I don't really see the problem that would require the huge investment in hyperloop. I've been in much worse traffic and commute. Even the good Tokyo train system it's about that speed if not worse. Crossing into SF from East Bay on the BART takes about that long during commuting hours and that's not even close to 27 miles.

  34. Vaporware by guruevi · · Score: 1

    Elon is the king of vaporware, even worse than Duke Nukem Forever. I don't know if you've noticed but very few of his stuff makes it to market and what does is hugely under the stated promise and over the stated cost. Tesla still doesn't have the cost, range, charge speed nor buildout of universal charging stations. SpaceX won't make it to Mars anymore, the Falcon heavy isn't even out of its design stage, the hyperloop is still an electric cart that barely makes it to the end of a tunnel even under the best of circumstances and with days of setup.

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  35. Like the Internet! by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    HTT [...] plans to build networks of tubes [...]

    Kind of like the Internet...

  36. Hyper-something by sdinfoserv · · Score: 1

    Trains in India are hyper something; loop is not something I would want to do here:
    https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/ma...

  37. Boring Post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Elon Musk was motivated by California traffic to start the Boring Company, not to pitch hyperloop. But just keep making shit up, msmash.

  38. Regarding Thunderf00t by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 1

    Almost every gushing hyperloop article on /. will include a commenter who points to a set of Youtube critiques of the hyperloop by Thunderf00t. Watching these videos I find myself sympathetic to his position, but I recognize that I'm predisposed to suspect grand promises about what the future holds when there's no clear, demonstrable, and scalable example yet. (My father had a subscription to Popular Science when I was a kid. The main thing it taught me was an interest in science and a mistrust of vaporware. I still don't have a flying car.)

    The responses I've seen to such on /. have been disappointing to say the least. On more than one occasion, I've seen Thunderf00t's critique dismissed with a wave of the hand and a reference to his credentials as a biochemist rather than, say, an engineer. That is not an argument. At best, it's an appeal to authority. The worst I've seen so far has been a lazy claim that to the effect of 'don't worry, smart people have already worked all this stuff out.' This kind of thing is tiresome on Youtube; it should be well-nigh unforgiveable on /.

    So I'm interested in hearing from critics of Thunderf00t's critique. Can you point me to an article or video that will serve as a response to his position? And to proponents I would ask whether there are responses to Thunderf00t's critics. Many thanks in advance.

    1. Re:Regarding Thunderf00t by Namarrgon · · Score: 2

      At best, it's an appeal to authority.

      No, it's recognising expertise. If an engineer says it works and a biochemist says it doesn't, who are you going to believe, the one who has experience and training in that field, or the one who doesn't? Only someone who has relevant expertise can effectively judge the validity of an argument.

      If the biochemist has actually hit upon a valid point, then you'd expect engineers to confirm that, but when he's directly contradicted by engineers then it's considerably more likely they have knowledge in their own field that he hasn't taken into account.

      --
      Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
    2. Re:Regarding Thunderf00t by cervesaebraciator · · Score: 1

      If an engineer says it works and a biochemist says it doesn't, who are you going to believe, the one who has experience and training in that field, or the one who doesn't?

      The one who makes a reasoned argument. Not the one who says, "Just trust me; I'm an expert and the other guy isn't." Thunderf00t's arguments were relatively simple and straightforward. If they're flawed, it should be a simple task to show their flaws.

      Only someone who has relevant expertise can effectively judge the validity of an argument.

      This goes a bit far. I have trouble believing that you believe this, at least as stated. Otherwise you could, for example, draw no conclusions about politics without a degree in political science, about history without a degree in history, etc. You'd also be up the creek if two doctors advised you different treatments.

      If the biochemist has actually hit upon a valid point, then you'd expect engineers to confirm that, but when he's directly contradicted by engineers then it's considerably more likely they have knowledge in their own field that he hasn't taken into account.

      But that's the rub. I was asking for the reasoned opinions of those engineers. I'm sure they do have knowledge he hasn't taken into account. What is it? I'm asking for that, not for 'engineers know more about this than biochemists, so if an engineer says a biochemist is wrong, then, well, QED.'

    3. Re:Regarding Thunderf00t by Namarrgon · · Score: 2

      The one who makes a reasoned argument.

      And if they both appear to make reasoned arguments that happen to reach different conclusions (as is often the case)?

      If they're flawed, it should be a simple task to show their flaws.

      Rarely is it so simple. Simple flaws in an engineering analysis would be obvious to competent engineers, so are usually spotted long before publication (and are unlikely to be made in the first place, if the engineers are competent). Any flaws that survive review by other engineers are unlikely to be easily spotted by a layman.

      Otherwise you could... draw no conclusions

      You can certainly draw conclusions, but they're not going to be anywhere near as reliable as the conclusions drawn by someone with more expertise. If two doctors advise different treatments, would you ask a plumber to judge which was best? Or would you ask a specialist doctor with more expertise?

      I was asking for the reasoned opinions of those engineers.

      Isn't that exactly what's set out in the original analysis?

      If you'd like to hear more detail about that analysis, perhaps specifically concerning the points that Thunderf00t raises then sure, I'm right with you there, and would like to know more myself. Although what often happens then is that the debate gets quickly bogged down in arguments over numerous technical minutiae that are difficult to verify without the experience and training that generally defines expertise, and lay onlookers are left none the wiser.

      I'm merely suggesting that when an expert gives a reasoned analysis and a non-expert says they're wrong, it's wisest to assume that it's not the expert who's made the mistakes.

      --
      Why would anyone engrave "Elbereth"?
  39. Great by XSportSeeker · · Score: 1

    Yet another gullible government fooled by the monorail scam.

  40. 3rd world country by NewYork · · Score: 1

    Can a 3rd world country afford Hyperloop?