# Futurama tube-transport -- New York to Beijing in 2 hours **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 19, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331 "2012-04-19T22:57:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/1 "2012-04-19T22:57:00Z")
Isn’t this the same vacuum tube technology that banks and hospitals have used for over sixty years? The bank system is fairly simple. It goes from the teller window out to the drive up lanes. The Hospitals have very complex routing for their vacuum tube systems. The pharmacy in the basement can send a bottle of pills to a specific 6th floor nurses station. I was amazed watching a ward clerk at a nurses station turn the bands on the tube carrier to send it to a another nurses station. It’s incredibly fast too. If this is the same technology. Then how have they solved the weight problem? The bank tubes will jam if someone puts rolled coins in the carrier. The hospital tubes only send paperwork, medicine, or very small, lightweight medical supplies. I’m ready for my 1/2 hour tube transport to the London Olympics. 😛 > **[Real-life Futurama tube-transport will catapult you from New York to Beijing...](https://gizmodo.com/real-life-futurama-tube-transport-will-catapult-you-fro-5903099)** > > The Simpsons have the monorail. Futurama has the Tube Transport System. The difference is that tube-transport is a fantasy — at least for now. > **[Round the world in just six hours: Vacuum tubes could be used for super-fast...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2131957/Round-world-just-hours--Tube-Vacuum-tubes-used-super-fast-public-transport.html?ITO=socialnet-googleplus-dailymail)** > > Evacuated Tube Transport (ETT) is an airless frictionless, maglev-like form of transport which, its designers say, is safer, cheaper and quieter than trains or aeroplanes. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/2 "2012-04-19T23:10:13Z")
Well, after watching the informative video, I’m thoroughly convinced. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/3 "2012-04-19T23:16:55Z")
The technology has been proven for over 60 years in hospitals and banks. Those transport tubes deliver supplies all over the hospital continuously 7 days a week. The technology has been tested in the real world. If they can solve the vacuum tube’s weight limitations then I think this could be set up for land travel in 20 years time. It shouldn’t take any longer to build than high speed rail tracks. Across oceans? Now that may be a century away. We don’t even have railroads that cross oceans. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/4 "2012-04-19T23:17:11Z")
My uninformed prediction is that the costs are understated, and the benefits are overstated. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/5 "2012-04-19T23:18:13Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > My uninformed prediction is that the costs are understated, and the benefits are overstated. No, really, it can go 4,000 miles per hour and it’ll be cheaper then Megabus. (But it takes 2500 miles to accelerate so we only run it up to 120mph, and there’s a $150 convenience charge :)). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/6 "2012-04-20T00:09:24Z")
This is very interesting. NY almost had a vacuum transport in 1867. Even had a demo with 12 passengers. Then another demo under Broadway in 1869. The technology is there, if the right engineers step up and put the research into making it work. How a real hospital tube system works. The new ones are computer controlled. [http://www.pevco.com/about\_pneumatic.html](http://www.pevco.com/about_pneumatic.html) > [@](#): > > In 1867 at the American Institute Fair in New York, Alfred Ely Beach demonstrated a 32.6 m long, 1.8 m diameter pipe that was capable of moving 12 passengers plus a conductor. In 1869, the Beach Pneumatic Transit Company of New York secretly constructed a 95 m long, 2.7 m diameter pneumatic subway line under Broadway, to demonstrate the possibilities of the new transport mode. The line only operated for a few months, closing after Beach was unsuccessful in getting permission to extend it – Boss Tweed, an immensely powerful local politician, did not want it to go ahead as he was intending to personally invest into competing schemes for an elevated rail line. > **[Pneumatic tube](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tube)** > > Pneumatic tubes (or capsule pipelines, also known as pneumatic tube transport or PTT) are systems that propel cylindrical containers through networks of tubes by compressed air or by partial vacuum. They are used for transporting solid objects, as opposed to conventional pipelines which transport fluids. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, pneumatic tube networks gained acceptance in offices that needed to transport small, urgent packages, such as mail, other paperwork, or money, over rela... ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/7 "2012-04-20T15:31:09Z")
When I was a physics undergrad back in the early 80s, one of the study problems in our intro text (Halliday & Resnick) showed that if such a tube were frictionless, you could travel its length in about 45 minutes, no propulsion required – the earth’s gravity would make you go, then stop. BTW, that would work on any tube between any two points on earth, so it’d take you just as long to go across town as across the globe. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/8 "2012-04-20T15:31:49Z")
It uses magnets. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/9 "2012-04-20T16:11:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It uses magnets. [Obligatory joke] And how do _they_ work? [/obJoke] There used to be a [pneumatic railway](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_pneumatic_railway) in my neck of the woods too. It was not a terribly practical arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/10 "2012-04-20T16:22:58Z")
> Steely Dan knew what they were talkin’ about in “I.G.Y.”: _…You’ve got to admit it At this point in time that it’s clear The future looks bright On that train all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail Ninety minutes from New York to Paris…_ ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/11 "2012-04-20T16:35:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > [Obligatory joke] And how do _they_ work? [/obJoke] It was a pretty obscure reference. [Intro starting here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5G5eiJLaa4&feature=related)at 3:30,[the magnets here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3qnp3TWO8&feature=relmfu)at 4:00. The whole episode is worth watching. ---
**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/12 "2012-04-20T17:15:08Z")
A pneumatic railway isn’t exactly the same thing as described here, however. This is a maglev train in a vacuum, designed to eliminate friction. If the system was built with a hub-and-spoke setup the way airlines route their flights, and it was cheaper than air travel, it might work. But it won’t be cheaper than air travel, so what’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/13 "2012-04-20T18:08:12Z")
It’s a shame so many people suffer from claustrophobia. If high speed rail cars were made smaller (maybe 4 feet tall) you’d cut a lot of weight. I think it would also reduce wind drag. A shorter car should increase speed. People could stoop over and still get in their seats. But, it would be miserable for those that can’t handle tight spaces. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/14 "2012-04-20T18:27:26Z")
> [@Baffle](#): > > A pneumatic railway isn’t exactly the same thing as described here, however. This is a maglev train in a vacuum, designed to eliminate friction. If the system was built with a hub-and-spoke setup the way airlines route their flights, and it was cheaper than air travel, it might work. But it won’t be cheaper than air travel, so what’s the point? I think the point is that some people would rather get from New York to LA in 45 minutes rather then whatever it takes by plane (what does it take, like 4 or 5 hours?). This thing is supposed to run at 4000mph. Personally, I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable at 4000mph. Can you imagine what would happen if it hit a snag. Either the train would be crushed or the object would tear through the cabin. Wasn’t there a scene in the first Final Destination like that? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/15 "2012-04-20T19:00:38Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > My uninformed prediction is that the costs are understated, and the benefits are overstated. The video says the track could be built for 1/10 the cost of high-speed rail. :rolleyes: That just crazy. Instead of building an exposed track, you’re building an inclosed tube with seals that can hold a sustained vacuum! And it has to be able to handle the stresses of transport pods that are moving 10 times faster than a normal train. There’s no way that sort of infrastructure is cheaper per mile than railroad tracks. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/16 "2012-04-20T19:09:30Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > The video says the track could be built for 1/10 the cost of high-speed rail. :rolleyes: > > That just crazy. Instead of building an exposed track, you’re building an inclosed tube with seals that can hold a sustained vacuum! And it has to be able to handle the stresses of transport pods that are moving 10 times faster than a normal train. There’s no way that sort of infrastructure is cheaper per mile than railroad tracks. I’d also wonder how long it takes to pump the air out of a 3000 mile long tube. If it takes 3 hours, then you might as well just take the plane. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/17 "2012-04-20T20:04:23Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > The video says the track could be built for 1/10 the cost of high-speed rail. :rolleyes: > > That just crazy. Instead of building an exposed track, you’re building an inclosed tube with seals that can hold a sustained vacuum! And it has to be able to handle the stresses of transport pods that are moving 10 times faster than a normal train. There’s no way that sort of infrastructure is cheaper per mile than railroad tracks. I think the part that crosses the Pacific will cost less for the tube. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/futurama-tube-transport-new-york-to-beijing-in-2-hours/619331/18 "2012-04-20T20:22:43Z")
[QUOTE=The Hamster King] There’s no way that sort of infrastructure is cheaper per mile than railroad tracks. [/QUOTE] Purchasing land for a right-of-way can be brutally expensive. [Here’s an article from 2009 about a short line costing $3.8 million per mile for the ROW.](http://hamptonroads.com/2009/01/beachs-lightrail-right-way-may-cost-40-million) [Back in 1991, somebody wanted about $7 million per mile near Los Angeles to buy an existing ROW.](http://articles.latimes.com/1991-12-12/local/me-270_1_warner-center) Not sure if they ever got it, though, and I’d hate to imagine what it would cost now.