Elon Musk suggests a transatlantic tunnel
Musk has suggested that he has a solution to making a transatlantic tunnel possible between New York and London. Currently, a flight between the two major cities is eight hours. The idea has been around for years, but currently still sits as a theoretical proposal. Currently, the combination of both the cost of building such a tunnel as well as limitations of material science as it now stands means constructing the tunnel into a reality has not happened as of yet.
At the end of last year, proposals resurfaced on plans for such a tunnel, however it comes with a hefty price tag. The tunnel would cost $20 trillion, and most likely is expected to be even more. The tunnel would also take years to build. However, the idea would be to link the two cities on high-speed advanced train technology such that the journey would take less than an hour. If this was a possibility, the high price to make it a reality would be very much worth it.
Vacuum technology may be the answer
While the idea may still seem like something out of a science fiction film, the Tesla innovator may have an idea on how to make the dream a reality. He has suggested that vacuum tube technology could be the answer to constructing the theoretical trillion dollar train. Vacuum tube technology has made significant advancements in recent years. By creating a vacuum within the tunnel and using pressurized vehicles, trains traveling along the structure could theoretically reach speeds of more than 3,000 mph, making the hour long journey between London and New York a reality.
Currently, this type of technology and engineering techniques is applied broadly in the field of materials processing such as drying or filtering, chemical processing, application of metal coatings to objects, manufacture of electron devices and incandescent lamps, and in scientific research. This type of technology is also what proposed maglev trains operate off of.