[MLUG - DISCUSSION] Trains vs Planes & Tractor-Trailers

["Christian M. Cepel" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

I've been wondering for a long time now why the 'center' divider on most 
divided highways (for the sake of this example, I70 between KC & STL) 
couldn't be utilized such that a vertical facility could be built with 
an over/under freight-train/bullet-passenger train system.  I say 
vertical because a lot of the facility would have to be high above 
ground and far below it to minimize the rise/fall of the track system 
(the highway does take some pretty dramatic elevation changes near the 
rivers and in the deadlands between Kingdom City and Warrenton), and we 
would want the bullet train (tubed of course) well separated from any 
danger from traffic accidents or terrorism.  There of course would be a 
few places where the highway would have to be rerouted because a bullet 
train cannot take some of the more acute angle changes that the highway 
does, but for the most part we have this constant what.. 30' stretch of 
land between St. Louis and KC.    If we were able to add one or to 
stations between, wouldn't that mean an incredible economic and 
environmental boost to what is the largest thoroughfare in this state?

As a bullet train system, I'm not proposing a 'many stop' type of train, 
but one that allows a train to be accelerated for +100 mile stretches to 
very high speeds.

Tell me why it's a stupid idea.

--
Christian M. Cepel - Thistledowne Productions - http://thistledowne.org
Computer Support Specialist, Sr. - University of Missouri - Columbia
College of Education - School of Info Science & Learning Technologies
VRCbd, KidTools & StrategyTools Support Systems Projects, and Truman,
Library Whistlestop Project - Web Design & Programming - 573.999.2370


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