I'm just having all sorts of problems posting a new topic in the coffee house. So I'll try it here.
I was thinking just recently on a recurrent problem for me. I live right off of I-81, and for those close to it know of the truck problem we have.
For those not familiar with the Interstate system of the US, think Autobahn with about 46000 miles of road.
Many people have proposed a "rail" solution to the truck problem. That is, instead of freight being shipped by truck in our nation, it should be shipped by rail. This keeps them off the roads, making them far safer. If you've ever driven next to the behemoth trucks, you know that you don't mess with them, and if you've never driven with them, the feeling of something that big next to your very insignificant car or suv or truck is quite unimaginable. Anywho, bakc to topic.
The only problem with the "rail" solution, is that so long as businesses look for the cheapest way to ship stuff across the country, they will use the road. Then it hit me--there are trains that go in excess of 300 mph. The mag-levs. Then another question hit me square in the head--why does the US, once the preeminent nation in rail, not have a mag-lev rail? There's not one, unless you call that thing in Epcot a mag-lev (it's been too long since I've been to Disney World, so . . .). I mean, we don't even have one sticking piece of this wonder in transportation. And then it hit me--why not use it for shipping?
In other words, use a mag-lev network for shipping freight and passengers.
All a man's knowledge comes from his experiences
™ Version 4.2