>>1607043>regulations that would imply in too much redesign Probably this one, but even though it was the best performing aircraft in its class, it simply didn't have enough seating to make a decent margin wth the amount of fuel the four engines got through.
A wide body twin jet in the same layout would be under a lot of regulatory scrutiny as there aren't many of them around.
Plus access to the engines for servicing would be more difficult as they would be higher upon the body.
>>1609102>My idea is high speed freight rail. Going 120 to 150mph freight trains would be both faster and more economical than long-haul trucking.From 60mph? You've just gone and quadrupled the energy usage of each train, more than doubled track infrastructure and signalling requirements and maintenance and on top of that, and more than tripled the stopping distance required in case of an emergency.
Freight trains fill the niche between barges and trucks. They can get things to places faster than a barge, but can transport far more volume (less $/ton) than trucks.
Don't want to be a naysayer, but HSFR as an idea isn't great unless it's for high value, time sensitive items (which are often small and easy for trucks to handle). It's far easier to just build in the extra shipping time than to transform the entire network like that.
