Will there ever be international undersea train networks?

[Deleted User]

I hate flying. I tell myself a team of engineers have checked the plane and have determined that it's safe. But it still scares the shits out of me.

 

[DarthDub]

So, you'd rather have risk of dying from high pressures of the ocean? Yeah, no thanks.

 

[Youkai]

maintaining a tunnel like that would probably insanely expensive so you would have to pay more money than for a plane ...

and I doubt there would be lots of people doing that

 

[Ryccardo]

Well, technically the Eurotunnel is already there, proven, international, and a train

 

[ThoD]

I love trains (not in a weird way), as they can be really relaxing and if you don't mind taking longer to get someplace, they are a great means of having a nice trip, with the added bonus of having some scenery, but as much as I wish undersea train networks existed, while possible, it's not worth making them due to the insanely high upkeep costs that come with it. However, for relatively small distances, they could be a thing, but nothing even remotely close to international (assuming you mean overseas travel between continents. The most that could be effective would be something like Denmark with Sweden at the part where it's close enough to ferry across, beating the purpose of even making the whole project honestly... For actual overseas travel, plane is the best option. For continental travel, trains are fine and there is even the intercontinental express that runs all throughout Russia and some neighboring countries connecting Europe with Asia.

Well, technically the Eurotunnel is already there, proven, international, and a train

While the Eurotunnel exists, it was a special case and that's the only reason it was actually attempted as a project. There were already cave paths running underground, which minimized the work needed for it and with the natural cave system supporting the railway the upkeep costs are minimal.

 

[InsaneNutter]

Sometime like that already exists, the Channel Tunnel connects the UK to France.

You should watch Extreme Engineering S01E03 Transatlantic Tunnel, you might find it interesting.

I'm sure in the future one day Alaska could be connected to Russia, however politics will likely get in the way of that for a long time to come. Then theirs the weather aspect before we even get to money and practicality.

Just like one day we will walk on Mars, whatever technology and capability we have now will be primitive in 100 years time.

 

[Veho]

If the Hyperloop project ever takes off (or rather -doesn't- take off, because staying on the ground is the whole point [well technically it's Maglev so it is hovering above ground {recursions}]) anyway, if the Hyperloop project ever takes off but only slightly, the next step planned is an undersea oversea line.

Note that the plan for undersea tunnels isn't to build them at the bottom of the sea, but rather suspended at a depth where they don't affect shipping traffic but the pressure is manageable.

At the moment it is still science fiction and would cost an infinite amount of money.

EDIT (ninja'd by InsaneNutter):

You should watch Extreme Engineering S01E03 Transatlantic Tunnel, you might find it interesting.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to.

 

[dAVID_]

Did you get this idea in one of those top 10 videos? Because some time ago I heard a guy in my classroom say the same thing.

 

[DinohScene]

As InsaneNutter said, there was a special on Extreme Engineering that featured such a tunnel.

It just won't be possible.
You've probably forgot that the earth has tectonic plates that drift away from and to eachother.

 

[Deleted User]

Intercontinental underwater trains would be insane to build.
First you got to design it. Then build it. Then maintain it.
Each stage would be massively expensive.
What if an accident happens? Train breakdown? Trips would be longer and more expensive.
Would be better to build an underwater city like rapture than this.

 

[DinohScene]

Would be better to build an underwater city like rapture than this.

Whilst extremely costly, it is possible.
Due it it being stationary on the seafloor.

In any case, I'd immediately sign up to live there.

 

[jefffisher]

i'm way more scared of the ocean than the sky, and currently in japan the worlds top train using country it is cheaper to get across the whole thing by plane than train.

 

[leon315]

travelling in airplanes statically is still the safest way, Tc

 

[xpoverzion]

I hate flying. I tell myself a team of engineers have checked the plane and have determined that it's safe. But it still scares the shits out of me.

Planes are safer than trains. There are .43 deaths per billion train passengers. There are .07 deaths per billion plane passengers. Travel by car is far more dangerous than trains or planes. But I'm sure you travel by car all the time without any issues. What you have is an irrational fear. Rationalize it, and flying doesn't cause fear anymore. Otherwise, we fear what we don't understand, or what we cannot rationalize.

 

[ThoD]

i'm way more scared of the ocean than the sky, and currently in japan the worlds top train using country it is cheaper to get across the whole thing by plane than train.

That is only because trains in Japan reach speeds higher than planes, so you pay a bit more for shorter trips with an amazing view (Japanese countryside is gorgeous).

 

[Deleted User]

Whilst extremely costly, it is possible.
Due it it being stationary on the seafloor.

In any case, I'd immediately sign up to live there.

It would be cool to visit but living there not so much.
Say goodbye to sunlight down there. You'd hope it is well designed and maintained so you don't end up being crushed by water pressure.

 

[gnmmarechal]

Well, technically the Eurotunnel is already there, proven, international, and a train

Curses, you ninja'd me to it

 

[DinohScene]

It would be cool to visit but living there not so much.
Say goodbye to sunlight down there. You'd hope it is well designed and maintained so you don't end up being crushed by water pressure.

That's exactly what the cosmonauts say to each other as well every day.
Except for them it's not being hit by a micro meteorite that rips a hole through the ISS.

Technically, you could say the same thing about skyscrapers.
You hope they don't collapse on you.

 

[Deleted User]

Technically, you could say the same thing about skyscrapers.
You hope they don't collapse on you.

True, I guess you could say about any man-made structure - aircraft, ships, vehicles, buildings, dams, etc.

 

[DinohScene]

True, I guess you could say about any man-made structure - aircraft, ships, vehicles, buildings, dams, etc.

Pretty much yep.
Any structure is only as strong as its weakest link.