(As I try to post this, I am unable to reach the website referenced below. If you are unable to connect, try again later when hopefully the DNS problem will have been resolved)
Something I have come across on the internet is the Interstate Traveler Project. It combines Maglev rail travel with utility transportation (i.e. water, natural gas, electricity, fiber optics, high temperature superconducting cable, hydrogen, etc.). The entire length of the rail system is covered with solar power panels (each mile of rail producing about 844,800 watts of electricity per hour at peak time). Meaning that a 100 mile long installation supporting 8.4 million square feet of solar cells would generates about 84 megawatts per hour peak time. Additionally, the rail system can be used for producing hydrogen (using utility substations) and clean water. A rail the length of 100 miles would produce over 33,000 kg of hydrogen per hour at peak time, the energy equivalent of about 33,000 gallons of gasoline.
All controls for the Conduit Cluster system would be managed using a control system similar to the TCP/IP technology used for the internet giving real-time control and monitoring of every car on the system, every watt of electricity, every cubic meter of hydrogen, and every gallon of clean water produced by the hydrogen fuel cells, and everything else in the conduit cluster.
The rail system is designed to work within the right of way of the existing U.S. highway systems and other permissible right of ways (including unused train right of ways). It is also built into the design to transport passengers in their own automobiles for greater mobility options. Both the Michigan and Oklahoma Houses of Representatives and the Michigan Senate have begun to support the Interstate Traveler Project within their respective states.
The founder of the company has hired former House representative Republican Richard Chrysler (104th congress Michigan's 8th district) as CEO. A newspaper article about the company and it's plans can be read here.
----------------------- "Something I have come across on the internet is the Interstate Traveler Project. It combines Maglev rail travel with utility transportation (i.e. water, natural gas, electricity, fiber optics, high temperature superconducting cable, hydrogen, etc.). The entire length of the rail system is covered with solar power panels (each mile of rail producing about 844,800 watts of electricity per hour at peak time). Meaning that a 100 mile long installation supporting 8.4 million square feet of solar cells would generates about 84 megawatts per hour peak time. Additionally, the rail system can be used for producing hydrogen (using utility substations) and clean water. A rail the length of 100 miles would produce over 33,000 kg of hydrogen per hour at peak time, the energy equivalent of about 33,000 gallons of gasoline." (posted by CellPhoneSurfer in #47)
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--Boot Hill