# The tube will know what to do **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 7, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823 "2005-05-07T16:23:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/1 "2005-05-07T16:23:58Z")
[New Scientist Story](http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7353&feedId=online-news_rss091) Vacuum powered one-man elevator (there’s a video of the thing in action, but it’s been Slashdotted, so you’ll have to try later). ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/2 "2005-05-07T19:00:21Z")
The only thing cooler than that, would be to have one of those [in this house.](http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/monsterhouse/houses/retrofuture/retrofuture.html) ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/3 "2005-05-07T19:07:21Z")
> [@](#): > > a series of mechanical breaks will activate should there be a sudden loss of pressure Not very reassuring. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/4 "2005-05-07T19:24:54Z")
So a series of mechanical breaks isn’t the way to go? I would prefer brakes myself, so maybe you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/5 "2005-05-07T19:30:52Z")
for ‘breaks’ read ‘failures’. Not reasuring at all. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/6 "2005-05-07T20:22:10Z")
I bet “Futurama” fans will be the first to order them. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/7 "2005-05-07T20:30:38Z")
I think there are both good and bad points to having an elevator like this. In other words, it has its ups and downs. :: d&r :: ---
**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:** [May 7, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/8 "2005-05-07T21:22:28Z")
“The elevator costs between $20,000 and £22,000.” Anybody else notice this? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/9 "2005-05-07T21:37:54Z")
> [@Joey P](#): > > “The elevator costs between $20,000 and £22,000.” > > Anybody else notice this? That’s quite a price range considering the current exchange rate. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/10 "2005-05-07T23:43:05Z")
> [@](#): > > The elevator costs between $20,000 and £22,000 So what’s that in Kronars? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/11 "2005-05-08T18:10:40Z")
[Somebody wants to do something similar for subways.](http://zapatopi.net/pneumatic.html) > [@](#): > > Based on both time-proven pneumatic tube technology and Internet packet-switching protocols, the Inteli-Tube system can make this dream a reality, moving beyond the dumb tubes of the past and towards the information-based technology of the future. Instead of packets of data, pods of people and goods are moved through a network of pneumatically pressurized tubes – swiftly, silently, and with little pollution. (Pods will have no on-board propulsion systems; all energy expended to move pods via pneumatic pressure will be external and so can be centralized for levels of energy efficiency impossible with individually powered vehicles. Also, ambient air-pressure differentials between areas on the network may be intelligently managed to offer all-natural and pollution free propulsion.) ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-tube-will-know-what-to-do/302823/12 "2005-05-08T18:20:14Z")
Inteli-Tubes seem a little to much like coffins to catch on, I’d say. I remember long ago a proposal for transcontinental pneumatic subways, in very deep tunnels. The depth had the benefit of gravity-assisted acceleration and deceleration.