Trans-Atlantic Tunnel

[Polkergeist]

Crusing the web I found this site

http://www.atlantictunnel.com/

It's about an under sea tunnel from America to Britain just like the channel tunnel between the UK and France.

The web site has nice story but alas is fictional.

Never the less engineers have theorised about such a tunnel. Discovery Channel has a website all about it

http://media.dsc.discovery.com/convergence/engineering/transatlantictunnel/interactive/interactive.html

It hypothesies a super-high speed magnetic (mag-lev) train that would be able to go from New York to London in 54 minutes.

Now lets say this happens and the trip is safe to use and the cost is about half the current price  of a jet trip from NYC to London.

How would this impact American and British society ?

I'd say the UK would be bit a like Canada to most Americans as a nice place to visit easily where everybody is just like them but different in an interesting way.

As for the Brits the impression I get is they really like New York ? Any New York sceptic Brits out their ?

[dazzleman]

A train that goes 3,000 miles per hour?  That really is unbelievable.  If that were possible, it would revolutionize a lot more than just US-British ties.

[Bono]

A tunnel?
Why not a bridge?

[dazzleman]

A tunnel?
Why not a bridge?

Probably because of the danger that ships would hit the bridge supports.  Clearly, it couldn't be a suspension bridge, and it couldn't be closely monitored the way bridges in smaller channels are.

I would think a bridge would be easier to build, but harder to maintain.

I find it hard to imagine either a tunnel or a bridge.  The depths of the ocean are almost unfathomable, and I doubt a tunnel could be laid that low.  It's also impossible to imagine bridge supports at those depths.

[Bono]

A tunnel?
Why not a bridge?

Probably because of the danger that ships would hit the bridge supports.  Clearly, it couldn't be a suspension bridge, and it couldn't be closely monitored the way bridges in smaller channels are.

I would think a bridge would be easier to build, but harder to maintain.

I find it hard to imagine either a tunnel or a bridge.  The depths of the ocean are almost unfathomable, and I doubt a tunnel could be laid that low.  It's also impossible to imagine bridge supports at those depths.

I should've added a smiley.

[dazzleman]

A tunnel?
Why not a bridge?

Probably because of the danger that ships would hit the bridge supports.  Clearly, it couldn't be a suspension bridge, and it couldn't be closely monitored the way bridges in smaller channels are.

I would think a bridge would be easier to build, but harder to maintain.

I find it hard to imagine either a tunnel or a bridge.  The depths of the ocean are almost unfathomable, and I doubt a tunnel could be laid that low.  It's also impossible to imagine bridge supports at those depths.

I should've added a smiley.

I used to think a bridge from the US to Europe would be a great idea.  Of course, I was 9 years old at the time, so that could explain my thinking.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Anyone ever consider the impact of continental drift/plate tectonics?

[dazzleman]

Anyone ever consider the impact of continental drift/plate tectonics?

You're right.  I was thinking about the impossibility of maintaining support with ocean depth, but over that distance, there is a great chance of shifting plates damaging the bridge or tunnel.

I'd say it would be a stupendous engineering feat to pull this off, and probably highly unlikely any time soon.

[??????????]

Yeah, lets see a tunnel being put in at 13,000 feet deep. lol

[danwxman]

Anyone ever consider the impact of continental drift/plate tectonics?

A tunnel is impossible for that very reason. At the center of the Atlantic, new crust material is literally pouring out across the seafloor moving the North American plate westward and the Eurasian plate eastward. There would be no way to build a tunnel through magma, at least not that I'm aware of.

[afleitch]

And what about refugees! If this was built it would be easy for American citizens to flee to Europe for things like abortion and the study of science Of course the idea that America would ever outlaw abortion or clampdown on science that appears to be 'immoral' and unchristian is just a theory....just like the tunnel

[??????????]

And what about refugees! If this was built it would be easy for American citizens to flee to Europe for things like abortion and the study of science Of course the idea that America would ever outlaw abortion or clampdown on science that appears to be 'immoral' and unchristian is just a theory....just like the tunnel

Talk about the drive! Daddy are we there yet? Daddy are we there yet? Daddy are we there yet? Daddy are we there yet? Daddy are we there yet? Daddy are we there yet? What about roadside food or gas? lol

[??????????]

Their was a joke similar to this. It goes like this :

A man is walking along the beach in California. He ponders what a bridge to Hawaii would be like. All of a sudden God speaks to him and gives him one wish, anything he wants, so he thinks for a minutes. The man tells god, "Well I'd like to build a bridge to Hawaii so I can come and go as I please." God says in return, " Can you imagine the costs to build something like that? Let alone supplies, time, etc?" The man says, "OK, I understand, give me the answer to why women are so complicated, tell me everything about them?" God says in reply, "Okay, now will that be 2 or 4 lanes?"

[Bono]

Anyone ever consider the impact of continental drift/plate tectonics?

A tunnel is impossible for that very reason. At the center of the Atlantic, new crust material is literally pouring out across the seafloor moving the North American plate westward and the Eurasian plate eastward. There would be no way to build a tunnel through magma, at least not that I'm aware of.

What if it went through the artic?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The fastest train in the world is currently the Shanghai Maglev, which peaks at 310 MPH.

[Polkergeist]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

BTW , you all make valid points about the tunnel but what about the idea of a tunnel suspended by cables from the ocean floor so that it isn't under the sea bed ?

[Frodo]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

BTW , you all make valid points about the tunnel but what about the idea of a tunnel suspended by cables from the ocean floor so that it isn't under the sea bed ?

You must have been watching the Discovery Channel's 'Extreme Engineering' program when you started this thread.........     

[Polkergeist]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

BTW , you all make valid points about the tunnel but what about the idea of a tunnel suspended by cables from the ocean floor so that it isn't under the sea bed ?

You must have been watching the Discovery Channel's 'Extreme Engineering' program when you started this thread.........     

nah just surfing the net !

However this thread wasn't so much about engineering a cross atlantic tunnel but rather how would it effect both sides of the atlantic.

[DanielX]

The tunnel is actually possible. The problem: it would be hideously expensive.

I watched a History Channel special on this. Apparently, they plan to have the tunnel be a vacuum (no air), and only pressurize the cabin. That will eliminate friction and allow the train to go a lot faster. Also, it won't be underground or on the seabed, but hang 'up' from the seabed from support cables.

[minionofmidas]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

None on the UK. The impact on France would be large though, since there's no way in hell the tunnel would end in the UK rather than in France.

[David S]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

Well unless you really hate flying you can get there that quick now.

[Polkergeist]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

Well unless you really hate flying you can get there that quick now.

It takes 7 to 8 hours to get from NYC to upstate NY ?!?

[KEmperor]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

Well unless you really hate flying you can get there that quick now.

It takes 7 to 8 hours to get from NYC to upstate NY ?!?

It's an 8 hour drive to get from where I live to Buffalo, yes.

[John Dibble]

Well, we've already pointed out that the tunnel would be pretty much impossible, but if it were can you imagine how big a terrorist target it would be, or the catastrophe such an attack would cause?

[Polkergeist]

Of course all this is pie in the sky stuff. What I asked was what if the tunnel actually existed what sort of effect would it have where the UK would effectivley be as close to NYC as upstate NY ?

Well unless you really hate flying you can get there that quick now.

It takes 7 to 8 hours to get from NYC to upstate NY ?!?

It's an 8 hour drive to get from where I live to Buffalo, yes.

What's the distance ?