Wow, your calculations are totally awesome (and seem correct)!
It looks like our estimation of "Hyperloop thermal expansion problem solution" feasibility now comes down to your last sentence:
> I wasn't able to find cost figures for roller bearing capable of handling a 36 ton load.
I don't know, railroad car steel wheel? Max load per axle for train cars: 26 - 40 ton. Searching on alibaba.com for "train car wheelset" and "train car bogie" never comes up with more than $2500 per piece. Maintenance seems doable, if we look at millions of train car running around the planet.
> These are the questions that would need to be answered by a hyperloop proponent, not me. The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. The only claim I'm making is that no one has proposed a solution. The two sentences that the Hyperloop white paper devotes to this issue is not a solution.
Yeah, I agree with that sentiment. Luckily, we are not the people making an actual practical decision on Hyperloop. Like you said, we are just trying to get our minds off politics.
It looks like our estimation of "Hyperloop thermal expansion problem solution" feasibility now comes down to your last sentence:
> I wasn't able to find cost figures for roller bearing capable of handling a 36 ton load.
I don't know, railroad car steel wheel? Max load per axle for train cars: 26 - 40 ton. Searching on alibaba.com for "train car wheelset" and "train car bogie" never comes up with more than $2500 per piece. Maintenance seems doable, if we look at millions of train car running around the planet.
> These are the questions that would need to be answered by a hyperloop proponent, not me. The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. The only claim I'm making is that no one has proposed a solution. The two sentences that the Hyperloop white paper devotes to this issue is not a solution.
Yeah, I agree with that sentiment. Luckily, we are not the people making an actual practical decision on Hyperloop. Like you said, we are just trying to get our minds off politics.