[HiTech RedNeck]

Vacuum trains! That would suck (duck’n & runn’n).

In pure theory, the trains wouldn’t even need power.

Just bore the tunnels as the crow flies through the earth, and gravity would do the rest.

In practice you’d be boring through all kinds of easily shifting material. I’d hate to be down there and have an earthquake happen.

[MeganC]

Seen this before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_II_(film)

“An elaborate “Subshuttle” subterranean rapid transit system was constructed during the 1970s, due to the vulnerability of air transportation to attack. The Subshuttles utilized a magnetic levitation rail system. They operated inside vactrain tunnels and ran at hundreds of miles per hour. The tunnel network was comprehensive enough to cover the entire globe.”

[chrisser]

If such a system were practical, than why not start with freight/packages/mail?

Prove it will work before we try to stuff people through it.

[sand88]

Yep, don't tell Moonbeam!

The only thing real about the Vacuum trains would be their ability vacuum more tax dollars from the taxpayers. The enviro-nut crowd would see to that.

[dragnet2]

“Engineers are working on the technology for trains that could shoot through airless tunnels at speeds up to 4,000 miles per hour. The transporters, which remain at least a decade away, could eventually cut travel time between New York and Beijing to about two hours,”

Were going to build a tunnel from NY to China in ten years? And tunnels all over the planet?

I'd guess this would take hundreds of years.

Too funny!

[discostu]

Didn’t one of the characters on Soap have this idea? Trains that work like the drive-thru bank tubes, I seem to recall even Chester thought it was a stupid idea.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... The transporters [...] could eventually cut travel time between New York and Beijing to about two hours,”

No thanks. I don't need the world to get that small.

I don't care if there is economic justification for this plan. Just HELL no.