Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
 |
Comments on Never-Stop Rail Transit System Proposed
Take a look at this approach to a well-known problem; sf writers have their own ideas. (Read
the complete story)
| "A far more simple solution would be using some form of regenerative braking, using EM brakes to store braking energy in capacitors or flywheels and using it to put the train in motion again.
Not totally efficient, but still a lot more elegant." ( 6/19/2008 8:42:10 AM) |
| "Trains already use regenerative braking so the advantages of this system would not be revolutionary, especially since the thingie on top adds significant aerodynamic drag.
That said, kudos to the intrepid inventor for thinking out of the box !" (Yossi Preminger 6/19/2008 6:26:36 PM) |
| "The Roads Must Roll is my faborite story by RH. A good radio play of it was done in the 1950's on X-Minus 1. Here are 2 links about a belt transfer system.
--1893 Chicago Exposition http://www.theelevatormuseum.org/f/f-3.htm
--1900 Paris Exposition video
http://www.paleofuture.com/2007/05/moving-sidewalk-1900.html
I also believe there was a proposal for a moving sidewalk system in Arizona in the 20's. can't remember the city." (thlayli 6/19/2008 8:40:28 PM) |
| "I also liked that story; Heinlein had some other cool ideas in that story, including the tumblebugs (see the tumblebug picture from the front of the June, 1940 edition of Astounding Science Fiction)." (Bill Christensen 6/19/2008 9:01:47 PM) |
| "Regenerative braking, even if it were 100% efficient, would not deliver the full potential of a system like this: since the train never stops, it gets you where you're going much faster. It would be like an express train between any two points you like." (Mark 6/23/2008 3:47:56 PM) |
Get more information on Never-Stop Rail Transit System Proposed
Leave a comment:
Tediously, spammers have returned; if you have a comment, send it to bill at this site (include the story name) and I'll post it.
More Articles
JAXA Int Ball 2 Coming Right Along As Star Wars Remote
'Hocus-pocus religions and archaic weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side.'
Robot Bricklayer Or Passer-By Bricklayer?
'Oscar picked up a trowel. 'I'm the tool for the mortar,' the little trowel squeaked cheerfully.'
Robot Gas Station Attendant Pumps Gas For You
'... he waited for the robotrix attendant to finish fueling up his ship.'
Engineer Creates Crazy Motorized Track Hospital Bed
The Roujin Z system provides care to fully bedridden patients - and then some!
Tiny Flying Robot Weighs Just One Gram
'Aerostat meant anything that hung in the air. This was an easy trick to pull off nowadays.'
Some Ringworld Configurations Are Stable
'The Ringworld had no horizon. There was no line where the land curved away from the sky.'
TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly
'Annealed in any shape for a time, and codified, the structure of that shape is retained down to the molecules.'
SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.
Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.'
Humanoid Robots Building Humanoid Robots
''Pardon me, Struthers,' he broke in suddenly... 'haven't you a section of the factory where only robot labor is employed?''
Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
'There was no wheel, and no steersman!'
What's The Best Way To Ship And Unpack Humanoid Robots?
'I opened the oblong box, where lay the automatons side by side...'
DNA Printed Book By Isaac Asimov Now Available
'They tied the memory to the bloodline and that was their record!'
AI Computer Chip Designs Passeth Human Understanding
'It seems that at one time computers were designed directly by human beings.'
Space Traffic Management (STM) Needed Now
'...the spot was a lonely one in an uncharted region, far from the normal lanes of space traffic.'
Fine-Tune Your Infinite Book The Way You Want It
'I squatted down beside the roller and tried to make some sense out of the knobs. There were thirty-nine of them...'
SpiRobs Soft Spiral Robotic Arm
'Beware the long, flexible, glittering tentacles...'
Holland Factory 3D Printing 500 Tons Of Steak Per Month
'...I don’t understand technical things — tell me, does it ever feel anything?"
Stratospheric Solar Geoengineering From Harvard
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
