OK - so how easy would it be to establish a series of train-sized vaccuum tubes?

[Taverner]

Say, across California, underground.

True, it would be an undertaking, but think about the possibilities. IN a vaccuum, there would be little to no resistance, and the trains could hit really high speeds. Also, they would need less energy to do so.

Or is this a half-baked idea?

[no name no slogan]

1. I thought you meant the other train-sized vacuum tubes

I figured you were going to build the largest Marshall stack in the world. It would put even Pete Townsend to shame.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. If you make them parabolic, you could just drop them and gravity would do the rest.

In theory. If you don't think about it to hard.

[TZ]

3. Well the internet IS a series of tubes ya know...

:silly:

[cloudbase]

4. Ain't gonna fly, Wilbur. n/t

[tjwmason]

5. I have heard this mentioned before

Generally in the context of a maglev rail system. The nature of it seems to mean that only a journey with long-distances between stops would make sense, but the potential for real high-speed travel does seem to be there.

[elleng]

6. East-West, Non-Stop?

.

[hobbit709]

7. What happens if pressure seal on train gives?

Sucking vacuum is no fun.