DuncanE

Comment Threads

• JohnS commented on The ends of education
  paws4thot @ 997: Your NX Transport photo reminds me of the method used by BR Motorail until 1995 (aside from loading gauge). To me it looked like a way to make bulk delivery of new automobiles from manufacturing plants to regional distributions centers. It's not designed for individuals to use the way the EuroTunnel is. I looked into shipping my Jeep out to Arizona, thinking I might somehow reduct the carbon footprint of such a trip. I have a good friend in Phoenix and I would use his location as a hub for excursions to various National Parks in the...
• ilya187 commented on The ends of education
  https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-12-28/poll-a-third-of-americans-question-legitimacy-of-biden-victory-nearly-a-year-since-jan-6 A new University of Massachusetts Amherst poll released Tuesday highlights how partisanship has hardened in the year since the deadly Jan. 6 attack and the stark breakdown on how Democrats and Republicans view that day and the results of last November’s presidential race. Fifty-eight percent of respondents surveyed across the country believe Biden’s victory was legitimate, while 33% contend it was illegitimate – numbers that have held steady since the university’s last poll on the subject in April. Of Republicans polled, an overwhelming majority of them – 71% – still contest the 2020 election results. Only 21% believe Biden’s...
• paws4thot commented on The ends of education
  998 - We are in agreement then, at least other than issues of loading gauge, which we may as well ignore unless we're prepared to enlarge it and accept that whilst $line is being upgauged it will effectively still be the smaller gauge. 1000 - Nor in the UK. In fact the old Southern Railway (Grouping era company) used 3rd rail to electrify heavy rail lines from London to the South coast. That said, the rest of the UK does use pantograph + catenary electrification through tunnels, and so does most of Western Europe....
• NecroMoz: deanimator of the undead commented on The ends of education
  So we should just forget thinking about any possible solution that can't be completed yesterday? No, but we should build one before we commit to building a thousand of them. Doesn't matter whether that's fidget spinners or mars bases. You might think 25kV third rail systems are a good idea, but I don't have enough information to say. I am certain, though, that 500V DC third rail systems will not work for dozens of wagons per segment running short hops with the consequent high accelerations (acceleration = power). I'm not aware of a high speed rail system using third rail...
• DeMarquis commented on The ends of education
  Sure, but, a lot depends on how strongly they believe it. Most of that 38% do not believe that Biden stole the election very strongly--it's mostly a way to vent anger at the loss of employment security, and cultural privilege. Most of them would forget about it if they thought that their circumstances were changing for the better. The problem being that the Democrats know these people would never vote for them, and the Trump Republicans want to keep them angry. The only people who can push this back are Establishment Republicans, and for that to happen the Trumpists have...