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Is ET3 really this good?

by Kurt
18 replies
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Here's a local company that is pitching "space travel on Earth". It's "Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies". ET3 is makins some very bold claims, but if even close to being true, this tech could totally change the world.

According to ET3, tube travel can achieve speeds up to 4000 MPH at a fraction of the cost.

Car sized passenger capsules travel in 1.5m (5') diameter tubes on frictionless maglev. Air is permanently removed from the two-way tubes that are built along a travel route.

Airlocks at stations allow transfer of capsules without admitting air. Linear electric motors accelerate the capsules, which then coast through the vacuum for the remainder of the trip using no additional power. Most of the energy is regenerated as the capsules slow down. ET3 can provide 50 times more transportation per kWh than electric cars or trains.

Speed in initial ET3 systems is 600km/h (370 mph) for in state trips, and will be developed to 6,500 km/h (4,000 mph) for international travel that will allow passenger or cargo travel from New York to Beijing in 2 hours. ET3 is networked like freeways, except the capsules are automatically routed from origin to destination.

ET3 capsules weigh only 183 kg (400 lbs), yet like an automobile, can carry up to six people or 367 kg (800 lbs) of cargo. Compared to high speed rail, ET3 needs only 1/20th the material to build because the vehicles are so light. With automated passive switching, a pair of ET3 tubes can exceed the capacity of a 32 lane freeway. ET3 can be built for 1/10th the cost of High Speed Rail, or 1/4th the cost of a freeway.


Why ET3? | Evacuated Tube Transport Technologies
  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    They WOULD have to manage acceleration, restraint, and oxygen. A sudden stop could be DEADLY. And they have warnings on the relatively SLOW roller coasters!

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Kurt
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      They WOULD have to manage acceleration, restraint, and oxygen. A sudden stop could be DEADLY. And they have warnings on the relatively SLOW roller coasters!

      Steve
      Yes, sudden stops would be deadly, just as they are for elevators, planes, trains and automobiles.

      If you ***ACTUALLY*** viewed the video *BEFORE* commenting, you would see that they have *****ALREADy***** taken this into consideration!
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Is this the same thing that Elon Musk is trying to do with his hyperloop?

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013...n_3603243.html
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    It's an interesting idea. I wonder how many decades out they're making those rosy predictions for?
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    I found this on the article I linked above.

    http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand...2008/P4874.pdf

    Dated 1972.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    What happens when someone lets off an air biscuit at 4,000 mph, you can't just roll down the windows.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    OK, I viewed the video. Is the mere fact of the CLAIM of 1G to mean they "took it into consideration"? Like the *****WORTHLESS***** "privacy policy"? They don't even encrypt the connection, like banks, credit card companies, etc... Yet they ask for date of birth, tax id, and other info. I wonder how they handle the credit card!

    As for many other things, such as an elevator, they often don't go all that fast and can simply be jolting. And elevators take measures to limit the speed.

    For ME, I don't think I'll ever ride one, at least not at 600MPH+.

    They HAVE been talking about this for MANY decades! Apparently it started to really take off around 1836! YEP, almost 2 HUNDRED years ago. Of course, they used it for mail that was short to relatively moderate distances. VERY old films show offices that were rather normal for the time using pneumatic tubes. It wasn't SCIFI, the things were seen almost as normal as typewriters. They probably thought about people around the same time. On futurama, the opening credits show such a device for people! I had seen it long before that, but frankly don't remember exactly where. Of course ET3 uses a CAPSULE, but then the 1836 method did ALSO.

    It IS interesting that outside of some old buildings, and bank drive throughs, you don't see it too much. I was literally SHOCKED to see a hotel here(apparently it used to be an upscale building, etc....) that had such a mail delivery system.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      For ME, I don't think I'll ever ride one, at least not at 600MPH+.
      People said the same thing about cars and the Airplanes. Not to worry though you can always join these guys

      https://www.google.com/search?client...Oc3zsgbc54CwBQ

      Also It still doesn't sound like you did watch the video. They did mention the process of slowing down the capsule.

      They HAVE been talking about this for MANY decades!
      People had the same objections that videophones would never come because the concept was around for decades and nothing happened then ooops

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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

        People said the same thing about cars and the Airplanes. Not to worry though you can always join these guys

        https://www.google.com/search?client...Oc3zsgbc54CwBQ
        Very funny. There ARE reasons why I feel I would feel safer elsewhere. And the lack of foresight at the SSL cert DOES give me more reason to believe that.

        Also It still doesn't sound like you did watch the video. They did mention the process of slowing down the capsule.
        Well, I watched the one on the site. I don't recall if the one here was there. I didn't notice it. I still haven't watched that one through but, in light of the other stuff... well....

        People had the same objections that videophones would never come because the concept was around for decades and nothing happened then ooops
        I have mentioned several things here MANY times! I even laughed at the people at IBM laughing at the concept of the microcomputer.

        The ONLY reason I mentioned that, is because people were acting like it was a new idea.

        Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Here's the standard G-force preflight training.

    1:31 - 2:19


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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      They HAVE been talking about this for MANY decades! Apparently it started to really take off around 1836! YEP, almost 2 HUNDRED years ago. Of course, they used it for mail that was short to relatively moderate distances. VERY old films show offices that were rather normal for the time using pneumatic tubes. It wasn't SCIFI, the things were seen almost as normal as typewriters. They probably thought about people around the same time. On futurama, the opening credits show such a device for people! I had seen it long before that, but frankly don't remember exactly where.
      Maybe here??? :rolleyes:


      Well somewhere in this show? The link below gives a better reference! Cool! :p

      Elon Musk Hints At Jetsons' Style Air Transportation at D11 | TechnoBuffalo

      Shane
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Interesting stuff. I've never heard of this one before. Not sure I'd like it even if they perfected it. I'd freak if something happened and I got stuck. Not a great means of travel for anyone a tad claustrophobic.
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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      NOPE! I mean even before this, but the kind of shuttles shown here I would have considered different. I did vagely remember about the tubes for jetson, but still I saw it before. HECK, maybe even metropolis has it! Logans run had it. Flash gordon did.

      steve
      Drat!!!!

      No, Metropolis had trains on raised tracks.

      Hmmmm, l will have to do some online digging! :rolleyes:


      Must have been this one from the 1930's?



      Shane
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    The science and idea have been around for a while, but what makes the video I posted different from the others is the economics.

    If the numbers used are close to being accurate, we can't afford NOT to do this and we owe future generations this tech.
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